Chennai: Agrarian crisis in Tamil Nadu is “grave” and crops that are dependent on rains have “more or less withered”, high-level committees comprising top bureaucrats and ministers has concluded, while recommending Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam to announce financial relief at the earliest.
Highly placed sources told Deccan Chronicle that the revenue department and agriculture department were on Monday compiling reports submitted by high-level committees that went to several districts to assess the situation after the north east monsoon failed with a deficit close to 65 per cent. The committees visited the districts over the weekend.
“The draft comprehensive package plan which includes monetary relief for farmers is now being finetuned by a group of senior officials and ministers and will be announced after getting the approval from the Chief Minister,” a senior official said. The comprehensive relief package is expected to be announced either on Tuesday or Wednesday, the official said.
Besides monetary assistance, which is yet to be decided, the package could also include a limited quantity of fertilizer, the official said, adding that the bureaucrats and ministers have recommended early disbursal of the relief package.
Another senior official said the situation especially in Cauvery Delta region, which is entirely depended on rainwater and water released from Mettur dam, is “quite grave” and crops have “more or less completely withered.”
“The situation depends from area to area. In places where crops are entirely dependent on rainwater, they have more or less gone. In areas where crops are dependent on bore well irrigation, the situation is less grave,” the official said.
Deficit rainfall and less water release from Mettur dam are the main reasons for the agrarian crisis in the state this year, government sources said, adding that unless the farmers are “adequately compensated” for the loss they incurred, the situation cannot be brought under control.
Political parties have alleged that more than 100 farmers have died so far due to the agrarian crisis since late December. The Tamil Nadu Government announced that it would adequately compensate the farmers after assessing the situation.
