Thanjavur District Cauvery Farmers Protection Association has urged the Union government to extend benefits of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme to tenant farmers also.
In a statement, Association secretary Sundara Vimalanathan said nearly 40 lakh farmers, cultivating various crops and agriculture/horticulture produces on the lands taken on lease by them from Hindu temples, mutts, choultries, mosques/dargahs, churches and other charitable trusts have not been covered under the scheme where ₹6,000 was given as financial assistance annually.
It also sought doubling of the assistance and a monthly pension of ₹4,500 for the farmhands aged 60 years and above.