Over 700 demands of TN farmers fulfilled so far, says Agri minister

TIRUCHY: Out of 1,267 demands submitted by farmers during 2021-25, as many as 719 have been accepted so far and the rest would soon be fulfilled, said Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare MRK Panneerselvam while addressing a pre-agri budget interaction meeting held with the farmers from central districts, on Friday.

Farmers from Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, and Perambalur who participated in the interaction pointed out that Chhattisgarh state has been offering an MSP of Rs 3,100 per quintal of paddy and Rs 4,450 per tonne of sugarcane while Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have been providing a subsidy of Rs 15,000 per acre for the inputs and wanted Tamil Nadu also to implement the same policy, which also a poll promise of the DMK.

Demanding a compensation of Rs 20 lakh to farmers who die while at work, the farmers urged the state to introduce Muthalvarin Uzhavar Uyir Kaappeedu Thittam.

Among other things, they sought a branch office of the coconut development board at Peravurani and Pattukkottai.

Responding to the demands, the minister said that all their requests would be fulfilled gradually.

Later, talking to media persons, Panneerselvam said that 24 pre-budget interaction sessions were conducted in the past four years and farmers’ demands were being accepted in a phased manner.