Even while welcoming the release of the long-awaited first instalment of crop insurance for the loss suffered during the year 2012, the farmers of the district resent the disbursement of the indemnity in only 17 firkas.
Different farmers associations have urged the government to ensure that the crop insurance is disbursed to the affected farmers of all the firkas in the district.
The National Agricultural Insurance Company sanctioned Rs. 14.78 crore as first instalment towards indemnity for the loss of samba crop. The sum has already been released to 75 primary agricultural cooperative credit and thrift societies, which will disburse the same to about 29,000 farmers in the firkas including Aranthangi, Athani, Embal, Gandarvakottai, Karaiyur, Karambakudi, Keezhanilai, Killukottai, Mazhaiyur, Narthamalai, Pudukottai, Poovathakudi, Puthunagar, Senkeerai, and Silattur, according to C. Manoharan, District Collector.
Representatives of the farmers associations raised this issue at the farmers grievances day meeting on Friday and said that leaving out the farmers of the other firkas was unjustified.
Duraimanickam of Sadaiymangalam complained that not a single firka has been covered in Avudaiyarkoil panchayat union, one of the worst drought-hit areas.
According to S. Ponnusamy, district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to CPI(M), the farmers who had incurred serious loss, relied on indemnity for a prolonged period and the restriction of the same to just 17 firkas is a big disappointment.
The issue was raised at various forums but the disbursement for a limited area has disappointed them, the farmers said.
G. S. Dhanapathy, district chairman, Farmers Forum of India, complained that the most affected firkas like Kunnadarkoil, Varappur, Keeranur, Vazhamangalam have not been sanctioned indemnity benefits.
Even the extent of indemnity is far less compared to the loss suffered by them. Farmers were not aware of the procedure for reckoning the damage for sanctioning the indemnity, he said, adding that he wanted inclusion of local farmers in the teams which conducts the survey to assess the loss.
According to cooperation department sources, indemnity had been sanctioned based on the crop cutting experiment conducted by agriculture, survey and statistics departments.
The average yield realised during the last five seasons was also compared for deciding the percentage of compensation. The district accounted for 44 firkas.
Replying to a question, the sources ruled out the possibility of sanctioning indemnity for the other left out firkas.
