In a push for better financial support for Karnataka, Raichur Congress Lok Sabha member G Kumar Naik called on the Centre to increase grants from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Naik pointed out that for the current year (2024-25), NABARD had sanctioned only Rs 2,340 crore for Karnataka’s Short Term Agricultural Credit Limit, a significant reduction from the Rs 5,600 crore allocated in 2023-24. Naik warned that this reduction in funds could severely impact farmers, especially in arid regions. He emphasized that increasing the limit was crucial for cooperative banks to continue offering 0% interest loans, which would benefit 35 lakh marginal farmers.

In response, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhury noted that Karnataka’s banks were operating well and highlighted that the government’s interest subvention had helped reduce the interest burden on farmers by 3% for timely repayments.

On migration, Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya discussed the movement of people between regions in search of employment. He noted that youth from Bidar district were migrating to cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Mumbai for job opportunities. Bidar Lok Sabha member Sagar Khandre appealed for more employment initiatives in the Kalyana Karnataka region, which remains one of the state’s most backward areas.

Addressing concerns about wildlife attacks, Union Forest and Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav promised to look into the demand for enhanced compensation for families affected by such incidents. Bengaluru Rural MP C N Manjunath called for financial aid to build barriers around forests to prevent elephants from entering agricultural fields, as well as an increase in compensation from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 25 lakh for victims’ families.

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