Belagavi: The state government on Saturday distributed 62 sugarcane cutting machines worth Rs 22 crore to farmers in the district at a function organised at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha (SVS). The machines were handed over to beneficiary farmers by agriculture minister N H Shivshankar Reddy “Since 2016-17, the government has given subsidy to purchase 97 cane-cutting machines to farmers in Belagavi district, which is the largest producer of sugarcane in the state. This year, Rs 22.56 crore has been released for 62 machines due to shortage of labourers for cane-cutting,” the minister said.A machine can cut sugarcane crops in four to five acres in a day.The minister called upon farmers to gradually adopt the Israel-model farming to achieve financial progress. He also urged farmers to avail the benefits of various government schemes launched by the state government.Forest minister Satish Jarkiholi, who was also present, said the need of the hour was to use technology and machines in sugarcane cutting. It would be more cost-effective and saves time, he said.Chikkodi MP Prakash Hukkeri, MLAs Laxmi Hebbalkar, Abhay Patil and Mahesh Kumathalli were present.Meanwhile, Athani MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, one of the four disgruntled MLAs who camped in Mumbai for over a month, surprised everyone by participating in the programme. He also shared the car with minister Satish Jarkiholi.Satish Jarkiholi later told media persons that it’s a good development that all the disgruntled MLAs returned and met the senior leaders. He said the party high-command would decide on giving ministerial berth to Ramesh Jarkiholi.

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