Crop relief announced by Stalin inadequate: K Annamalai

Talking to reporters in Nagercoil, Annamalai questioned the Chief Minister over the announcement of crop relief by saying, it’s unfair that compensation of Rs 8,000 for one affected acre and Rs 20,000 for an affected hectare were announced.

When Cyclone Nivar struck, Stalin, then in the Opposition, appealed to the state to extend compensation of Rs 30,000 for an acre and Rs 74,000 for a hectare. Even under Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana scheme, every insured farmer, who paid a premium of Rs 320 per acre, could avail compensation of Rs 23,600 for an acre, he added.

Annamalai took pride in the fact that in Cuddalore thousands of acres have been covered under the Centre’s crop insurance scheme. He said that it’s the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who protects farmers. But, the government in Tamil Nadu, announced crop loss compensation, which could not be accepted at all.

He further said that the BJP cadres would organise agitations in various parts of the state on Friday demanding the state to provide flood relief aid of Rs 5,000 to each of the victims and also to enhance compensation to aggrieved farmers.

Earlier, Annamalai along with Nainar Nagendran, BJP state vice president and Tirunelveli MLA and Pon Radhakrishnan, former MP, extended flood relief to the needy, sources said.