CM Edappadi K Palanisamy sanctions 2,247 crore for drought relief

The amount included Rs 2,049 crore for 28.99 lakh farmers whose total area of 46.27 lakh acres was affected, another Rs 197 crore for 3.27 lakh farmers who opted for horticultural crops in 4.04 lakh acres, Rs1 crore for 2,916 farmers whose mulberry crop was affected in 3658 acres. 

Under the scheme, farmers whose paddy areas come under the state disaster relief norms would receive Rs 5,465 per acre, Rs 3,000 for rain-fed crops, Rs 7,287 for long term crops and up to Rs 3,000 for mulberry crops. Similarly, 14.99 lakh farmers registered for crop insurance based on the district and crop loss would be assured of sums ranging from Rs 4,800 to Rs 69,000. Money would be releaseD by insurance companies as and when harvest was completed. 

The sanction follows crop surveys revealing that 87 per cent area in 13,305 of the 16,782 revenue villages in the state was affected. 

The government had also waived land tax for the year while in a bid to ensure continued employment, beneficiaries under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme would be provided work for 150 days as against 100 days now. 

Crop loans from cooperative and nationalised banks would be converted to medium term loans while another Rs 350 crore was allotted for creating and maintaining drinking water sources. While Rs 5 crore was earmarked for providing wild animals food and drinking water by the forest department, another Rs 6.91 crore was sanctioned for ensuring that domestic livestock was not affected by the current drought. The PWD has earmarked Rs 25 crore for exploitation of ground water. 

On compassionate grounds, the relatives of 17 farmers who died due to various causes were given Rs 3 lakh each from the Chief Minister’ Relief Fund. To ensure expeditious sanction of crop insurance relief, 44,489 crop cutting experiments were underway in various parts of the state.