AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Saturday demanded that the farmers who suffered crop loss during this year’s Kuruvai season be paid ₹35,000 per acre.
The crop loss happened on over 3.5 lakh acres in the Cauvery delta, Mr. Palaniswami said and called upon the DMK government to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the extent of the loss.
He also asked the authorities to declare districts that were affected by the “failure of southwest monsoon” as drought-hit.
As for farmers who had suffered crop loss during the Samba season of 2021-22, Mr. Palaniswami had pointed out in the past that they had been paid compensation by insurance companies to the tune of ₹100 to ₹600 per acre. Many farmers were neither paid compensation nor relief. As for the Samba season of 2022-23, the government paid a premium of nearly ₹2,319 crore to insurance companies, but could only get a compensation of ₹560 crore paid to the farmers. Mr. Palaniswami urged the government to carry out another survey of affected agriculturists and arrange compensation for them.
In a separate statement, AIADMK’s former coordinator O. Panneerselvam, referring to vacancies in medical seats under the all-India quota, urged the government to bring the seats under its control and hold counselling simultaneously in the future for seats under the State as well as the all-India quota.
