The Tamil Nadu government has sanctioned ₹ 6.64 crore, in the first phase, to be distributed as relief to farmers in Mayiladuthurai district who suffered losses due to the recent unseasonal rainfall.

Farmers in the Cauvery delta districts - Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, and Tiruvarur - suffered losses because of the unseasonal rainfall that lashed out during the first week of February, leaving widespread damage to the samba crops that were on the verge of harvest.

According to the data from the district administration, more than 13,700 hectares of paddy out of the 68,560 hectares cultivated in Mayiladuthurai district during the Samba season was affected by the unseasonal rain. 

Ministers M.R.K. Panneerselvam and R. Sakkarapani assessed the crop damage in the rain-affected areas and submitted a report to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

Accordingly, the State government announced a relief package of ₹ 20,000 a hectare for the farmers who suffered crop loss of 33% or more. Compensation of ₹ 3,000 a hectare for cereals and providing harvesting equipment at a subsidised rate were also part of the package.

Mr. Stalin also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting for relaxation of norms to allow the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) to procure paddy with a higher moisture content under the Decentralised Procurement Scheme. 

A three-member team from the Central government had also visited rain affected areas and assessed the crop damages. Recently, the Central government relaxed the norms in procurement and gave nod for the TNCSC to procure paddy with a moisture content of up to 20% in the rain-impacted districts.

At the monthly farmers’ grievance redress meeting on Friday, Collector AP. Mahabharathi told the farmers that the State government sanctioned ₹ 6.64 crore as relief to be distributed to the farmers who suffered losses in the district.

The Collector also promised to look into the issue of the missing entries of a few farmers who are eligible for compensation. He also sought the cooperation of the farmers to link their particulars such as Aadhaar, bank details, and patta number in the dedicated portal for farmers to receive the benefits directly to the bank account without any intermediaries.

Source - https://www.thehindu.com