There is increased resentment and discontent among delta farmers over the quantum of relief and ‘over dependency on crop insurance.’
Some organisations are planning to organise agitation to exert pressure on the State Government to increase the quantum of relief.
While we generally welcome the State Government move to declare all districts drought hit, all affected farmers in the delta region who raised samba paddy crop this season must not get anything below Rs. 25,000, observed Mannargudi S. Ranganathan, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association.
Families of farmers who committed suicide or died of shock must be given the maximum benefits and the State Government should consider their cases sympathetically, he said adding the State Government should monitor the crop loss assessment by the insurance companies and expedite disbursal of compensation.
Meagre
By all measures, this has been the worst situation in recent decades in the delta region and the State Government did the right thing by declaring all districts in the State drought hit.
But the relief announced is meagre and will in no measure compensate truly the efforts and the loss of the farmers who went in for samba paddy, observes secretary of the Thanjavur District Cauvery Farmers Protection Association Swamimalai R. Vimalnathan.
The lending institutions had granted Rs. 25,000 per acre as crop loan for paddy and the State Government should compensate at least that.
If there was resource crunch, it should move New Delhi to get the required support, he noted.
He was sore that the relief announced for the next of kin of those who committed suicide and their numbers (the announcement stated 17 cases of farmer suicides) as too low and urged the State Government to revise the quantum of relief.
The CPI (M)-affiliated Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam district secretary Samy Natarajan welcomed the declaration of entire state as drought hit but expressed displeasure over the quantum of compensation for paddy farmers.
The ryots might not get any benefit from transforming the short term crop loans into medium term loans. Only a total waiver of loans availed by all farmers could provide succour to the suffering farmers, he said.
