The Tamizhaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam has urged the State government to procure paddy at ₹2,500 a quintal, an election promise given by DMK.
Talking to reporters at Mannargudi on Tuesday, association general secretary P.R. Pandian called upon Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to fulfil the election promise since farmers, who suffered crop loss in the last samba/thaladi season, eagerly awaited implementation of the poll assurance.
Ccrop insurance companies were yet to release any statement regarding the quantum of compensation to be disbursed to farmers who insured their samba/thaladi crop last season. The State government, on its part, disbursed 100% compensation towards input cost following loss of standing crop due to unexpected rain during the harvest period. But the insurance companies were functioning with a profit motive for the last four years, he said.
Hence, in order to save the farming community from the clutches of profit-oriented private crop insurance companies, the State government should implement its own crop scheme like in Gujarat, Maharashtra and other States.
Stating that farmers found it difficult to avail crop loans since the power to grant credit vested in central cooperative banks since last year as per RBI instructions, Mr. Pandian demanded that a separate central cooperative bank be formed for Tiruvarur district and the power to disburse crop loan restored to primary agriculture cooperative banks.
He also demanded a separate registrar office be set up in Tiruvarur for the district.
Meanwhile, Thanjavur District Cauvery Farmers Protection Association staged a demonstration near the Income Tax Office at Kumbakonam on Tuesday demanding immediate disclosure of crop loss compensation and disbursement to farmers who had insured their samba/thaladi crop last season and suffered losses due to unseasonal rain.
