The Federation of Farmers Associations in Cauvery Delta Districts has called upon the Tamil Nadu government not to release the input assistance of ₹6,038 per hectare from the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF).
In a memorandum addressed to the State government, the Federation general secretary, Arupathi P. Kalyanam pleaded that the input cost assistance be extended from the general fund account of the government instead of from the SDRF.
He also urged the Tamil Nadu government to extend ₹50,000 per hectare to the farmers who have lost their ‘kuruvai’ crop this season. Referring to the relief extended to delta farmers when paddy cultivation took a beating due to unexpected rains during the 2020-21 ‘samba’ season, he requested the present government to provide ₹20,000 per hectare for the crop which had suffered more than 33 per cent damages, ₹10,000 for the rain-fed crop and ₹25,000 for other crops.
He once again reiterated his demand to modify the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (crop insurance scheme) as an incentive-based scheme where 20% compensation is assured under the insurance. Exhorting the Tamil Nadu government to pressurise the Central Government in this regard, Mr. Kalyanam pleaded that the State government might implement the incentive-based crop insurance scheme as a pilot scheme this year itself.
Thanking the district administrations in the delta region for initiating timely action to get the rainwater inundating the agriculture fields drained quickly in some of the villages in their respective domains, he suggested that the Water Resources Department might acquire machinery such as floating excavators and others in order to ensure proper and quick desilting of watercourses during monsoon. It would also save the administration from spending huge amounts to carry out such works, he added.
