National
Karnataka to reap higher food output on good rains
Bengaluru, Oct 10 (IANS) Blessed with bountiful monsoon rains this year, Karnataka is set to reap higher foodgrain production and recover from last year’s lower output following severe drought across the state.
“We expect a nearly 38 per cent jump in foodgrain production to 135 lakh tonnes this year (2017-18) from 98 lakh tonnes production last year (2016-17), thanks to very good monsoon rains in the past four months,” an official told IANS here.
The south-west monsoon rains from June to September were near normal in the southern state, with 4 per cent deficit at the end of the season in contrast to a whopping 20 per cent deficit in 2016, according to the regional meteorological department.
Though monsoon played truant in June and July, it made up in August and September to pour 80 cm rainfall across the state over the last four months as against 83 cm normal, as per the data recorded by the Met office.
Among the regions, north interior areas received 53 cm as against 50.6 per cent normal, resulting in 4 cm excess rainfall while south interior had 67cm as against 66 cm, an excess of 2 cm.
The monsoon, however, was not so active in the coastal areas, where the deficit was a whopping 16 per cent at 260 cm as against 308 cm normal.
As the second largest semi-arid state after Rajasthan in the upcountry, Karnataka is highly monsoon dependent for rains to fill its rivers, reservoirs in catchment areas and water bodies and boost agriculture production.
The yield is expected to be higher despite sowing in 64 lakh hectares of the 74 lakh hectares of farmlands due to late rains and lower moisture content.
“Truant monsoon and dry spells in June and July delayed farmers from timely sowing due to water shortage in fields although it gathered momentum with moderate to heavy rains in the subsequent months,” recalled the official.
Rice, wheat, sorghum, maize and millets are the major crops grown across the state’s four regions during the ‘kharif’ (rainy) and ‘rabi’ (winter) seasons. Last year’s drought hit rice and sugarcane output in the old Mysuru region.
Professor M.B. Raje Gowda of the University of Agricultural Sciences, however, said late sowing and excessive rains later would impact food production by 30 per cent from the state’s estimates.
“Heavy rains and excessive moisture in August and September affected plant population due to rotting. This could lead to 30 per cent lower output,” Gowda told IANS.
Lack of moisture in the soil during June and July also delayed sowing operations in all the state’s regions due to erratic monsoon.
“Sowing for paddy (rice) was less for the kharif crop due to inadequate water in the fields that are depended on monsoon rains,” added Gowda.
With the met office predicting normal north-east monsoon from mid-October to mid-December, widespread rains in the state’s south interior areas will benefit farmers to achieve the foodgrain target for this year from rabi crop.
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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