Mangaluru: Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna on Friday, November 17, said there is no proposal before the State government for a further increase in the price of milk.

Talking to reporters in Mangaluru, Rajanna said the milk price was recently increased by Rs 3 per litre. The government will not burden consumers by further increasing the price. “The government is looking at other ways on increasing revenue of dairy farmers,”  Rajanna said.

The Minister said the State government has to pay nearly Rs 350 crores to district central cooperative (DCC) banks towards the waiver of farm loans. Of this, Rs 14 crore pertained to Dakshina Kannada and Rs 4 crore to Udupi districts. Delay in paying the amount is affecting the DCC banks. “I have appraised the issue to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who will shortly be reviewing the functioning of DCC banks. The issue is likely to be solved by the end of this month,” he said.

The Minister said the State government will shortly come out with rules that will prevent the arbitrary removal of employees of cooperative societies, including milk producers’ cooperative societies, and provide them with other social security benefits. The rules are being framed following a recent amendment to Section 128(A) of the Karnataka Cooperative Societies Act. A common care authority will be formed at the district-level, which will be headed by the president of the DCC Bank concerned, that will look into issues related to employees of cooperative societies, he said.

Rajanna said the State government is working towards revising the treatment rates under Yashasvini health insurance scheme.

The Minister said he is hopeful of positive changes in the cooperative sector with Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah at the helm of affairs of the cooperative sector. “He (Amit Shah) is a true cooperative member and he understands issues related to the sector. I was the first to welcome him as the Cooperation Minister. If any positive suggestions are made for the development of the sector, there is no harm in State government bringing those changes,” Rajanna said.