PMK presents ‘shadow budget’ for farm sector

Some of the highlights of the document are steps to prevent farmers’ suicides, compensation for Rs 10 lakh to the kin of deceased farmers and scrapping of hydrocarbon extraction project in Neduvasal. 

“A total of 2,727 farmers have committed suicide between 2011 and 2015, while the number was 3,390 between 2006 and 2010. However, what is worrying is that over 300 ryots took the extreme step last year alone,” the budget stated and demanded the government to put an end to such acts by taking necessary measures. 

All inputs required for agriculture should be provided free of cost and the government must ensure that farmers got fair price for their produce, it insisted. The budget also demanded steps for disbursal of arrears to cane growers by mills, it added. 

The budget also stressed that farm loans granted by all PSU banks should be waived. “Such measures will help bail out farmers from debt-burden,” the budget noted. The budget also demanded scrapping of the proposed hydrocarbon extraction project at Neduvasal in Pudukkottai district. “The ONGC has acquired lands in and around Neduvasal to implement the project. Due to stiff opposition from various quarters, the state government has said that it will consider sentiments of people and press the Centre to abandon the project,” the budget pointed out. 

“The core delta region of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and neighbouring districts like Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Cuddalore must be declared as agriculture zone. Further, a recent direction of the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) to the state to remove seemai karuvelam trees (prosopis juliflora) is a welcome step and the state government should use high technology to weed the killer vegetation completely,” the budget suggested. 

“The Palmyra trees, which are on the verge of extinction, will be protected. A new draft to prevent from vanishing of such trees will be introduced,” it said and added that the state would be divided into four parts that would have agriculture research universities. At present, the Coimbatore region alone has one such facility. 

A separate ministry for agricultural marketing on the lines of Karnataka would be created, according to the shadow budget.