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Tamil Nadu
By Our Special Correspondent
The farmers could organise themselves as self-help groups (SHG) and approach the respective Collectors, after forming federation of SHGs. Each such federation would be allotted eight hectares of land. Responding to the observations of the CPI MLA, G. Palanisamy, the Chief Minister said there were broadly two components - participatory watershed development and corporate sector participation. Under the first component, a large number of wasteland, lying as part of the farmers' holdings (patta land), would be developed, while the other pertained to development of Government wasteland by leasing them to the corporate sector/small companies/co-operatives. The participatory watershed development, being implemented in 10 districts, would cover 55,000 hectares. Of this, different types of fruit saplings, bamboos and casuarinas had been raised on an extent of 21,304 hectares. Though the original plan was to plant 60 lakh saplings, only 23.16 lakhs could be achieved because of the failure of monsoon. In case the monsoon was active this year, the balance would be used. The allocation for this component was Rs. 25 crores in 2001-02, of which Rs. 21.17 crores was spent. Last year, Rs. 5 crores was set apart for upkeep of the saplings planted. "This year, we have sanctioned Rs. 25 crores", Ms. Jayalalithaa said, adding that a grant of Rs. 8,500 was being given to the farmers per hectare. In respect of the other component, she said 423 applications were issued to the corporate sector, of which 224 were filled and returned. As for 3,689 applications given to the small companies and cooperatives, 1,373 were under consideration. Refuting the statement of Mr. Palanisamy that the committee concerned had never met once, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the panel had held several meetings and, as and when required, had been taking decisions on the receipt of the applications. The Agriculture Minister, R. Jeevanandham, took a dig at the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, for the party-sponsored agitation against the withdrawal of free power supply to farmers. While in power, Mr Karunanidhi once said he would deal with "an iron hand" the farmers who were demanding reduction of power charges by one paise. Following the Centre's example of constituting a national level small farmers agri business consortium, the Government would set up one this year at the State-level at a cost of Rs. 1 crore. In view of the Meteorological Department's forecast on the southwest monsoon, 6,700 farm ponds, as a rainwater harvesting measure, would be dug in the Cauvery delta districts at a cost of Rs. 20 crores. To attend to the problem of salinity in agricultural land in Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam, a Rs. 1.2-crore project would be carried out in three years by the Agricultural Engineering department and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University with the financial assistance of the Union Government. Considering the severe drought, the Government would distribute 1,250 pumpsets of 7.5 hp capacity among farmers' groups. For those belonging to the SC/STs, the cost of pumpsets (each valuing Rs. 15,000) would be borne by the Union and State Governments equally. In respect of the others, the Union Government would provide as grant 50 per cent of the cost and the State Government 25 per cent, while the remaining 25 per cent would be given as loan, the Minister said. Pointing out that the "mission-mode" approach was being adopted in respect of horticulture, Mr Jeevanandham said the Government was working on a scheme to improve the productivity of mango, banana, vegetable, cashew and flowers. Agri export zones would be set up in Vriddachalam and Tiruchi for cashew and banana at a total cost of Rs. 20.36 crores.
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