Bengaluru, Mar 7 (UNI) Karnataka being water stressed state overall, it need to programme a water budgeting for judicious and efficient use of available water, NABARD Chief General Manager M I Ganagi today advocated.

In his remarks during State Credit Seminar 2018-19 organised by the bank, he said development of Karnataka hinges on judicious utilization of available water as a upper riparian state.

 

‘Water Conservation - per drop more crop’ was the theme of the seminar held here on Tuesday evening and Mr Gangi said the State Credit Plan for the Priority sector has been projected at Rs 2,02,472 crore for the next fiscal, an increase of 13 per cent over 2017-18.’’

 

The projection for agriculture was at Rs 1,14,734 crore which was 57 per cent of the total projection. ‘’To make this happen, I want the active participation of the Public Sector banks, the Karnataka government and other stakeholders,’’ he said.

 

Karnatkaa Additional Chief Secreatary T M Vijay Bhaskar released the State Focus Paper for the coming fiscal and also releasd a booklet on Area Development Schemes for each districts of Karntaka to be implemented during 2018-23. He appreciated NABARD for State focused paper for 2018-19 and hoped the projections would translate into credit by the bankers.

 

Integrated farming system, farmer producer organization, micro irrigation system is the key to enhance farmers income in Karntaka, and the government was supporting these initiatives, he added.

 

P J Thomas,CGM, told the banks that the Rational of priority sector lending as explained by RBI should be followed by all banks. This was not a compliance of regulatory guidance, but a good business proposal as agriculture is thriving and Indian farmer was capable of repaying his loans.