Government expects Rs 50K crore investments

BANGALORE: “The State Government is expecting to attract an investment of about Rs 50,000 crore during the Global Agricultural Investors Meet to be held on December 1-2 at Bangalore,” said Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda.Inaugurating the 53rd annual conference of Karnataka Planters Association (KPA) here on Thursday he said, “All the problems that the coffee planters are facing in relation to the plantation areas and the Jamma Bane lands, labour cost, fuel prices and shortage of fertilisers will be discussed in the next session and we will come up with solutions.”“We also had a discussion recently at the Central level in relation with the National Horticulture Mission (NHM). We have sought for a subsidy of `13.84 crore from the Central government under the NHM scheme for bringing about horticultural developments in the state,” he added. Later, speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the issue of environmental protection at the Bellary mining site, Gowda said, “The Supreme Court has asked us to send a detailed action taken report regarding environment conservation activities around the mining sites in Bellary. After  holding discussions we will be sending the affidavit to the Supreme Court within a fortnight.”Meanwhile, presenting the list of problems faced by the coffee, tea, rubber and pepper planters around Chikamangalur, Hassan and Kodagu, Sahadev Balakrishna, chairman, KPA, said, “Cost of labour has been a major problem. The labours cost which was Rs 27 per day has now shot up to Rs 175. The State Government has exempted individuals from payment of Agriculture Income Tax (AIT), we would request the government to exempt the AIT on partnership firms and companies.”Besides, bringing about improvement in roads and power situation around Chikamangalur, Hassan and Kodagu districts for facilitating better export, we also request the state as well as the Centre to ensure proper and timely supply of fertilizers along with exemption of VAT on chemicals and fertilizers used in agriculture and plantations.