Farmers plan to meet Chief Minister, seek compensation

Speaking to media persons after the consultative meeting, both V Duraimanickam, P Shanmugam, the General secretaries of Tamil Nadu farmers associations (CPI and CPM respectively) said that Tamil Nadu have been reeling under unprecedented drought. Crops have wilted and many farmers have left their farms as fallow. There has been a severe drinking water shortage. 

The large number of suicides by farmers has shocked the public. In these circumstances the relief package announced for crop loss has disappointed the farmers. Hence, the meeting resolved to request the Government to increase the compensation amount. They also passed resolutions including the farm loans taken by farmers from cooperative banks, commercial banks to be waived off completely.  The state Government should get the crop insurance claim of 2015-16 and disburse the same to the farmers. 

The Government should give 30 kg rice per family of farm workers. The Union Government should immediately release the drought relief sought by the state Government. The leaders said they would meet the Chief Minister during the month end and insist these demands. If the demands were not met agitations would be organised during the first week of February, they added.