Farmers in the Delta region have voiced dissatisfaction with the drought relief measures announced by Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, saying they are inadequate.
“The Chief Minister's statement is a big disappointment for us. We fear that the ground reality has not been taken into account in arriving at the quantum or mode of relief. Crop insurance is a mirage, and what private insurers would do to recover their dues is an open question. There is nothing in the statement to aid the hapless agricultural labourers as the extension of the work days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is a sham,” said State president of the CPI (M)-affiliated Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam and former MLA K. Balakrishnan.
The CM's announcement is only a consolation and will not help farmers, said the general secretary of the Federation of Farmers' Associations of Cauvery Delta, Arupathy P. Kalyanam. Crop insurance technicalities will deny the farmers their due claims or compensation. We fear that farmers would get a raw deal, he added.
“The State government is only passing on what the Central government had notified as compensation under the National Disaster Relief Fund. It must have added a portion of its resources to the Centre's grant of ₹5,465 an acre as there is no clarity on crop insurance claims,” Mr. Arupathy said.
While declaring 32 districts as drought-hit is a welcome step, the CM’s announcement is otherwise extremely disappointing and the State government must reconsider the quantum and mode of compensation announced, said the general secretary of the All Farmers Coordination Committee, P.R. Pandian.
