Mayiladuthurai farmers receive compensation for crop damage

TIRUCHY: As many as 19,655 farmers from Mayiladuthurai received compensation from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for the damage caused during the uncertain rains that lasted from January 30 to February 3 and the farmers thanked the district Collector for the prompt disbursal of the funds on Monday.

According to official sources, the uncertain heavy rainfall that lashed Mayiladuthurai during the period destroyed ready-to-harvest paddy, black gram, and other horticulture crops and the farmers faced severe loss.

Subsequently, based on the appeal by the farmers from the district, Chief Minister MK Stalin ordered an assessment of the damage, and an official team conducted a study and submitted a report to the government.

Based on the report, the State government announced compensation to the farmers from five severely affected taluks.

Accordingly, Rs 20,00 per hectare of paddy, Rs 3,000 per hectare of black gram was announced and the fund was disbursed from the SDRF and a fund of Rs 6.64 crore was disbursed to as many as 15,914 farmers in Phase I, and a fund of Rs 5.86 crore was released to as many as 19,655 farmers in Phase II.

On Monday, the farmers from the region met the Collector AP Mahabharathi to initiate steps to avail the compensation.

They also thanked the Chief Minister and the minister of agriculture for supporting them. DRO M Manimekalai and other officials were present.