Announce special schemes for single samba crops, farmers urge Tamil Nadu government

TIRUCHY: While the kuruvai has already failed due to water shortage, the state government should announce a special scheme for the protection of single samba crop and distribute medium and short term paddy seeds at 50 per cent subsidy, said PS Masilamani, State General Secretary, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to CPI here on Tuesday (September 8).

The state committee meeting of the Sangam was held in Tiruchy chaired by the State president S Gunasekaran and the General Secretary Masilamani who spoke among the members, said, the farmers have lost their entire income of kuruvai as the crop failed due to water scarcity and it is essential for the state government to ensure at least single samba crop cultivation and so, the government should announce a special scheme for the samba cultivation which should assure medium and short term paddy seed varieties at 50 per cent subsidy.

He said that the delta farmers should initiate steps for the ensuing samba and thaladi in an area of 16 lakh acre for which adequate storage of water in Mettur is very essential, and so the state government should initiate legal fights to get the due share of water from Karnataka .

“Since it is predicted that the monsoon would create a challenge in cultivation, the farmers can not quit samba also, and so the special scheme should be drafted in such a way to help out the delta farmers”, he said.

He also appealed that the state government should release at least 16,000 cusecs from Mettur after November 15, which would support the turn system irrigation so that the water would reach until the tail-end region, and so the government should also appoint a monitoring committee in each district to ensure proper water flow, Masilamani said.

He also appealed not to entertain the private sector in samba insurance. Later, resolutions were passed on these demands during the meeting.