The Hindu Business Line : Karnataka mulls ban on lotteries from next fiscal

Handing over dividends to members of 9,255 SHGs promoted by the Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP), at Dharmasthala on Wednesday, Mr Kumaraswamy said that he was aware of the plight of people addicted to lotteries.

In this regard the Government is mulling a move to ban both paper and online lotteries from the next fiscal. "I am firm on this and will not bow to any pressure."

There is also a plan to ban the sale of arrack from the next financial year, as it is affecting the lives of the poor.

FOUR PC LOAN

The move of the Karnataka Government to give loans to farmers at four per cent interest rate has become a success. The Government is now planning to extend the facility to members of SHGs. All SHGs will get this facility from the next fiscal, he said.

SKDRDP MODEL

Lauding the SKDRDP model of rural development, he said that the Government would seek the expertise of Dr D. Veerendra Heggade, Chairman of SKDRDP, in improving the condition of the rural poor.

In this regard, Dr Heggade will be invited to the Vidhana Soudha for an interaction with officials.

The Chief Minister urged officials to take the expertise of farmers into account while framing agricultural policies.

At the same time, farmers should be made aware of issues related to marketing and processing of agricultural produce. Dr Heggade presided over the function.

THERMAL POWER

Earlier, speaking to newspersons, Mr Kumaraswamy said that the Government is prepared to clear the doubts of the people on the proposed thermal power plant at Padubidri in Udupi district.

The Government has already held four meetings with those opposing the project.

They were invited to visit some of the coastal thermal power plants in the country to study the affect of such plants on the environment, especially to the fisheries sector. But no one came forward to visit such thermal plants, he said.

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