Stalin seeks Rs 30k per acre for crop loss

Expressing dismay at farmers suffering heavy loss due to the recent rains inundating their harvest-ready crops, Stalin said the AIADMK regime has not rightly approached the damage caused by the recent rains to the farmers who are yet to recover from the devastation caused by cyclone Nivar. 

Accusing the incumbent regime of failing in payment of compensation to the farmers, like it did desilting stormwater drains, the DMK president, in a statement issued in this regard, asked the chief minister to immediately announce compensation to the people and ensure payment of Rs 30,000 per acre to farmers who sustained loss due to the recent rains. He also asked the CM to take steps to help the crop insurance sum reach farmers without delay. 

Claiming that the AIADMK regime had denied his request to pay Rs 30,000 per acre for the crop loss suffered during cyclone Nivar and it had only paid Rs 20,000 per hectare, the DMK chief said the affected farmers have not fully received the announced sum in several places thus far. Stating that about 14 districts in the state, particularly, delta districts like Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai and Trichy were deeply affected by the rains and farmers there were struggling without receiving the crop insurance or compensation, Stalin said that it was condemnable that the AIADMK regime was being a mute spectator to the farmers weeping over their harvest-ready crops inundated. 

Wondering how much of the Rs 600 crore announced for cyclone Nivar compensation has been credited to farmers’ accounts and what has become of the Rs 3,758 crore sought from the Centre, Stalin said the CM was rubbing salt in the wounds of farmers by announcing at this juncture that they have yet to assess crop damage.