Panaji: At the backdrop of current hostility between Karnataka and Goa on Mhadei water dispute, chief minister Pramod Sawant said that the states should understand that India is a cooperative federalism.
Without mentioning name of any state, Sawant said that the neighbouring states are inter-dependent on each other.
“They (Karnataka) speak about stopping of supply of vegetables or stop tourism inflow… we never use such language,” he commented.
He was responding to the mention by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao that Karnataka has threatened to stop vegetable supplies to Goa.
“We never use such language. India can go forward with cooperative federalism. We are Indians first and then Goans,” Sawant said.
The chief minister, in his address to the House during passing of Demands for Grants for Agriculture, said that the state has reduced the import of horticulture by 30-40 per cent while there is increase of 20 per cent in exports from Goa of the horticulture commodities.
The chief minister said that the state-run Horticulture Corporation has been procuring the horticulture produced in the state from various farmers and selling them through the stalls.
Sawant said that the state government has given special focus on the Agriculture sector. “ Under Swayampurna Goa scheme, the millets are being grown in a big way in state’s villages,” he said.
The chief minister also made a mention about young farmer Varad Samant who has been providing vegetables worth Rs 50 lakh per annum to the state horticulture department.
“I have met this young farmer in his 30s. He told me that he earns net 60 per cent profit from the supplies made to the corporation,” Sawant said.
Referring to the demands of the opposition benches, the chief minister said that rather than increasing support price for various products, the government is contemplating the possibility of providing cent per cent subsidy to the farmers involved in community farming.
He said that 65,500 farmers are registered with the department. “These farmers are eligible for the facilities like Krishi card and Kissan credit card. They can now walk into the Bank and get the loan up to Rs one lakh,” he said.
“If any bank refuses to give you the loan then tell me. Because the guarantee of your loan is of Modi,” he added.
