Even as agriculturists of the Cauvery delta are awaiting eagerly the release of water from the Mettur dam for irrigation, a demand has come from the farming community that the State government come out with a package of assistance for this year’s Kuruvai cultivation season as it did on many occasions in the past,
Originally conceived in 2012 as a direction to the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) for 12-hour three-phase power supply to agriculturists in the delta, the scheme of assistance had developed over the years, providing subsidy to farmers for a variety of reasons.
For example, agriculturists got 100% subsidy to purchase high-density polyethylene pipes for optimal use of water and ₹4,000 per acre for using mechanical paddy transplanters. The cost of Kuruvai package varied between ₹ 18 crore in 2013 and ₹ 115.672 crore in 2018. The rationale behind the package was that farmers required support as the Mettur dam could not be opened on the normal date.
Water release
Though the water release did not begin last year on the scheduled date of June 12, the government did not announce any package. Even in the absence of the package, the coverage was around 2.9 lakh acres, which was as good as in the previous years. This time too, the government has not given any indication of providing the package, but water is going to be released on the customary date.
P.R. Pandian, an agriculturist based in Mannargudi of Tiruvarur district and president of the Tamil Nadu Federation of All Farmers’ Associations, says the availability of water per se will not obviate the need for assistance that the agriculturists got under the package. Calling upon the government to announce the package even now, he says it will be “highly beneficial” to the farmers.
K.M. Rama Goundar, president of the Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam and a farmer who hails from Karugur near Krishnagiri, says agriculturists have been “affected badly” by the lockdown, which has been in force since late March.
Farmers may get water this time on time but they do not have the “economic strength to do farming fully.” This is why the package becomes imperative this year, Mr. Goundar explains.
C. Ramasamy, former Vice-Chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, says farmers are now in need of support in one form or the other for their working capital. In addition to the existing schemes of support, banks should devise a special arrangement this year in the light of adverse effect of the lockdown.
A senior official of the Agriculture department says that even though there is no explicit package, there are certain components of the government assistance which are still available to farmers. For example, seeds are being given at subsidised rates and the Agricultural Engineering department will provide machinery such as tractors and drillers at nominal rates of rent.
Tangedco has been asked by the government to ensure uninterrupted power supply to farmers, who can take advantage of various schemes of the Central and State governments, the official adds.
