‘Treat agri on par with health, edu in budget’

TIRUCHY: Delta farmers, who are still waiting for the agriculture budget consultative meeting, convened a discussion among themselves and urged the government to allocate funds for agriculture on par with the education and health sectors.

The Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association organised a consultative meeting with the members and representatives from various other associations and made a series of demands to be sent to the state government and the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister MRK Panneerselvam for consideration while preparing for the agri budget. The meeting was chaired by Dr Anandhi Anand and Anjammal was also present.

The meeting opined that the union budget 2023-24 had failed to allocate adequate funds for the agri sector and so the farmers are fed up with the budget. Hence, the farmers expect proper fund allocation in the exclusive agri-budget by the state government.

“We expect fund allocation on par with the health and education sector as agriculture is the major sector in the state,” said Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan, Secretary of the association who spoke about the resolution.

The meeting also suggested introducing a pension scheme for the farmers belonging to age groups of 58 and above and set an example for the other states in the country. They also suggested more funds for the agriculture engineering department and demanded at least 10 harvesters and sowing machines in each taluk which would avoid the interference of middlemen.

The farmers also sought a manimandapam for the organic farmer Nammalvar in the banks of Kallanai and more subsidy for the farmers producing paddy seeds to simplify the procedure to avail power connection to the tenant farmers.

They also urged adequate funds for the cultivation of millets and supply meals with millets in the mid-day meal scheme.

VAO suspended for asking bribe to issue chitta

The Ariyalur District Revenue Officer Saturday suspended a Village Assistant Officer (VAO) for demanding a bribe for releasing chitta to farmers. The farmers had raised the issue during the farmers grievances redressal meet on Friday.

They sought immediate action after a farmer from Ariyalur said the VAO K Porselvi demanded a bribe of Rs 1000 for releasing chitta and presented a video recording of the official asking for bribe. The district collector upon watching the immediately ordered DRO Dr MS Kalaivani for a probe and subsequent action.