The Republic Day celebrations spelt “doom” for a section of farmers in the district as they observed grief after hoisting black flags at their houses, protesting against the ‘inordinate’ delay in the disbursement of insurance amounts to farmers who had lost their crops to drought during 2013-14. They were backed by the Tamil Nadu Agriculture Peasants’ Association (TAPA).
“We chose the Republic Day to express our protest and draw the attention of the Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited and the State and Central governments,” L. Adhimoolam, association State general secretary, said.
He said the farmers, who were hit by successive droughts during 2012-13 and 2013-14, expected the payment before they began the cultivation during the current season in November but they could not get the amount till date.
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The district administration was trying its best to secure the amount, but the payment was delayed as the State and Central governments had not paid their shares to the insurance company, he said.
He said more than 70,000 farmers had lost their paddy crops, cultivated on 66,000 hectares in the district during 2013-14.
sThey had paid a total premium amount of Rs 8 crore under the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS), he said.
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TAPA District Organiser E. Arokiyasamy said farmers in Sayamangalam, Salaigramam in Ilayankudi block and other villages in Kallal and Devakottai blocks joined the protest by hoisting black flags.