Stalin demands ₹30,000 per acre as relief

DMK president M.K. Stalin on Saturday demanded relief for farmers and the general public who were affected by the ‘margazhi’ rain in the State.

In a statement in Chennai, he said farmers should be given ₹30,000 per acre as crop damage.

“The crop was ready for harvest but was completely destroyed in the rain. It has proved to be a double whammy for farmers, who had already borne the brunt of Cyclone Nivar,” he said.

“The failure of the AIADMK government to deslit the drains resulted in flooding,” Mr. Stalin alleged.

The DMK leader said the government’s announcement that it would release ₹20,000 per hectare had disappointed farmers in 14 districts.

“They are angry that the amount already announced to provide relief from Cyclone Nivar has not reached them. They are also not able to get crop insurance,” he said

Wondering what happened to the ₹600 crore allotted for cyclone relief, Mr. Stalin wanted to know about the status of the request for ₹3,758 crore sought from the BJP government at the Centre.

“Instead of saying that the government will take a survey of the damage, the Chief Minister should release the relief amount immediately,” he said.