Kodagu Coffee Board Member Slams MLAs for Inaction on Crop Loss Compensation

Kishore Kumar alleged that Kodagu’s current Congress MLAs have failed to follow up or ensure that the funds reach affected growers.

Madikeri: Coffee Board member Talur A. Kishore Kumar has criticised elected representatives from Kodagu district for failing to secure timely compensation for coffee growers who have suffered significant crop losses in recent years.

In a strongly worded statement according to the TOI report, Kishore Kumar called it "absurd" that Madikeri MLA Manthar Gowda recently led a delegation of growers to meet Coffee Board president M.J. Dinesh to discuss farmers’ woes, yet failed to deliver concrete results. “Submitting petitions is not enough. MLAs must stop this symbolic approach and exert pressure on the state government to release the compensation due to farmers,” he said.

Highlighting a recent effort, Kishore Kumar noted that on July 3, Coffee Board president Dinesh, Udupi–Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivasa Poojary, Kaup MLA Suresh Shetty, and Board CEO Kurmarao met Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in New Delhi. The delegation submitted a memorandum detailing the challenges faced by the coffee sector. The Minister responded positively, and the Union Government subsequently released National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) money to the state, he said.

However, Kishore Kumar alleged that Kodagu’s current Congress MLAs have failed to follow up or ensure that the funds reach affected growers. In contrast, he praised former MLAs K.G. Bopaiah and M.P. Appachu Ranjan, who, during the previous BJP government, helped distribute compensation ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹57,000 per grower, according to TOI report.

He expressed frustration that since the Congress government took office, no such assistance has been provided. Kishore Kumar has urged the state government to not only release the pending NDRF funds but also provide additional compensation from state resources to support struggling farmers.

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