After meeting CM, farmers suspend protest

Sources said that the CM assured the ryots that the host of issues discussed would be addressed in a two-month window. The primary issue was the state’s application with the SC to overturn the Madras HC’s directive to grant indiscriminate relief to farmers without any landholding ceiling. 

The farmers raked up dues which Regulated Market Committee in Chetpet, Tiruvannamalai district, amounting to Rs 1.5 crore accumulated from 292 farmers over the past seven months while the State assured to release it within a week. 

As for the outstanding in procuring sugarcane in the past 4 years, the farmers were informed that the state would expedite the process, and would take the cooperative sugar mills to task for non disbursal of the amount. The other grievances included comprehensive irrigation schemes, Avinashi -Athikadavu project, and Amaravathi flood carrier project in Karur, besides stopping the auction of jewels mortgaged by farmers for agricultural loans in nationalised banks. Finance Minister D Jayakumar assured the farmers that the State was keen on solving their problems on a priority basis.