Karnataka sets out to double farmers' income by 2023-24.

• The government has also decided to set up a ‘secondary agriculture directorate’ which will focus on food processing and agro products

Aiming at becoming the first state to double farmers income by 2023-24, Karnataka will constitute a committee to prepare a report about the same, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said. The government has also decided to set up a ‘secondary agriculture directorate’ which will focus on food processing and agro products. He was speaking to reporters following a presentation on the Government of India strategy for doubling farmers income (DFI) by Ashok Dalwai, CEO, National Rainfed Area Authority and chairman of the empowered body on DFI under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. “We had a detailed discussion on the report submitted by the Centre. Karnataka has taken keen interest in doubling the farmers’ income,” Bommai said, adding that the government was working to ensure that Karnataka becomes the first state to double farmers’ income by 2023-24. The committee will consist of farmers from the state, who will be in touch with the Central government officials to prepare a comprehensive Karnataka-specific report on farmers’ income. The report will be implemented by the state, Bommai said. The CM added that another committee was being constituted under Agriculture Minister B C Patil to focus on seeds, pest and fertiliser management, and improving the fertility of the soil with the help from Agriculture Universities. The second agriculture directorate will be a task force constituted to improve food processing and the agriculture products sector. The directorate will also focus on agriculture-allied activities such as sericulture, animal husbandry, dairy farming, pisciculture and others. (Source: Deccan Herald)