The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it has chalked out programmes for awareness camps, taken steps to install easily accessible markets and opened procurement centres to help farmers sell their products and tide over the drought in the State.
Appearing before a Bench led by Justice Dipak Misra, Additional Solicitor General P.S. Narasimha, for the Tamil Nadu government, was responding to long-term and short-term suggestions given by the court’s amicus curiae and advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan.
The Bench said it would focus on two aspects — awareness about Minimum Support Price (MSP) and establishment of mandis within an acceptable radius of the holdings and opening of procurement centres on time.
The procurement of crops is done by Food Corporation of India along with State agencies.
Like the MSP, State governments procure perishable commodities like fresh vegetables at a minimum price, which is called Market Intervention scheme (MIS).
The court queried whether there was any programme on public broadcaster Doordarshan to make the farmers aware about the MSP, establishment of mandies and procurement centres.
Mr. Narsimha sought three days’ time to obtain instructions in this regard.
The court posted the hearing for May 8.
It was hearing a petition filed by Tamil Nadu Centre for PIL on farmers committing suicide unable to cope with the drought-like conditions in the State and resultant loss of crops and crushing debts.
In a recent affidavit, the Tamil Nadu government had blamed heart attacks, illness, and “in certain cases”, suicides for the deaths.
The court had previously chided the State for its silence and lack of concern as farmers die. The court recorded in an order that the plight of the farmers “has the potentiality to disturb the conscience of any sensitive soul”.
