Don't deny fertiliser subsidy to tenant farmers: Association to Centre

TIRUCHY: The Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, affiliated to the CPI, has demanded that the Union government withdraw its recent order restricting subsidised fertiliser to farmers possessing land documents, saying the move would affect tenant farmers and those holding combined pattas.

Association general secretary PS Masilamani said the order would exclude a large section of farmers from accessing subsidised fertiliser. He also objected to the requirement for farmers to register their identity through the Framework for Fertiliser Sale (FFS) mobile app, which allows access only on submission of land ownership documents.

“Instead of regulating fertiliser distribution, the Union government has restricted the subsidy for fertiliser. This would affect farming activities,” he said.

Masilamani said more than 60 per cent of farmers in Tamil Nadu were tenant farmers who either cultivated land belonging to temples and mutts or leased land from others.

“The present order of the Union government would affect a large section of farmers in Tamil Nadu and so the order should be withdrawn immediately,” he said.

He also urged the Union government to extend the benefits of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and pension for farmers aged 60 and above to tenant farmers.