BANGALORE: The Rashtreeya Krishimela-2011 concluded at the Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK) of University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore, on Sunday. Governor Hans Raj Bhardwaj felicitated farmers at an award presentation ceremony on this occasion. Speaking at the programme, UAS Vice-Chancellor K Narayana Gowda stated that this year’s Krishimela witnessed a total of 10 lakh visitors. He also said that business worth `6 crore had been carried out in the past four days. President Pratibha Patil also sent a congratulatory message expressing her support for the event, he said.“From a country which used to receive international aid, we have today reached a position where we can give aid to other countries. This has been made possible by agriculture and agricultural science,” said MLA Krishna Byregowda. “From meagre levels of production like 50 million tonnes (MT), we now produce 240 MT of food products . However, our productivity per hectare of land remains low,” he added. Comparing the pitiful state of Indian farmers with the comfortable living of European farmers, Governor Bhardwaj said the community and the government must make efforts to provide farmers with quality education and health care. “We do not need more schools in the city, we need quality schools in the district. Every farmer wishes that his children should get a good education,” he said. Lashing out at banks for focusing lending money to industry instead of farmers, he said, “Most defaulters are big industrialists. Public sector banks were started for the common man and not for them (industrialists).” He also argued for the removal of middlemen from the selling process for farmer’s crops and the setting up of a National Agricultural Fund. The annual event in the state was special this year because it was held at a national level and featured stalls from various states like Punjab, Kerala and Bihar. This year’s Krishimela began November 16 with a total of 800 stalls showcasing numerous achievements in agriculture.
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