New Delhi: The Karnataka government has decided to provide power subsidy to the coffee growers for irrigation pump sets of up to 10 horse power (HP) capacity, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said during the zero hour in the state Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
The announcement came in response to the demands of the members hailing from the coffee-producing districts.
Since coffee is a commercial crop, the coffee cultivators were not eligible for the power subsidy available to the state's farmers till now.
Raising the issue, MLA Appachu Ranjan said that although Kodagu district supplies Cauvery water to the state, it has been neglected.
“While tobacco and areca nut estates get power subsidy, coffee estates have been neglected,” Appachu said as quoted by The New Indian Express.
Supporting him, Chikkamagaluru MLA CT Ravi said there is an assumption that the coffee growers are rich and so can afford power. In reality, this is not true as many of them are in debt, he added.
However, guidelines will be drawn up to prevent misuse of this power, the Chief Minister told members Appachu Ranjan, CT Ravi and AT Ramaswamy, who had pointed out that coffee cultivators are being charged commercial power rates.
“We understand the problems of coffee growers and following a discussion with the Power Minister and others, the state will grant subsidised power to up to 10 HP pump-sets installed in coffee estates. However, the terms and conditions will be released to prevent misuse,” Bommai said.
It is to be noted that Karnataka is the major coffee producing state of the country with cultivation spanning across Kodagu, Chikmagalur, and Haasan districts.