THANJAVUR: With the Tamil Nadu government announcing a sum of Rs 20 crore for the Kuruvai (short-term paddy season) package through Agriculture department for Thanjavur district this year, Mr. A. Annadurai, district collector has listed the benefits farmers would get under the package.
He said that 12 hours continuous power supply will be given to agriculture pump-sets. Mr. Annadurai said as much in a press release issued here on Saturday, but farmers and DMK MLAs are skeptical. They said that this should be implemented in letter and spirit.
In the past also this has been announced in ‘Kuruvai’ package during many years, but farmers did not get the assured power supply.
“This year the collector should see that the supply is maintained,” they said.
The collector said that farmers will get a subsidy of R 1,750 per quintal for high yielding paddy seed varieties.
A sum of '98 lakh has been allotted for this under the ‘kuruvai’ package.
Rotavator and power tillers will be given on 50 per cent subsidy to help farmers prepare the land for cultivation in time.
For this, a sum of Rs 140 lakh has been allotted. To help farmers to purchase 600 diesel engines on subsidy, a sum of '90 lakh has been allotted. Farmers will also get Rs 4,000 per acre as subsidy for transplanting seedlings using transplanters.
This backend subsidy will be given for 35,000 acres. Other benefits include providing zinc sulphate, gypsum and micronutrients on subsidy and subsidy for raising pulses.
Pipes for supplying water will also be given to farmers on subsidy for using the water efficiently.
The DMK MLAs in the district stressed that the ‘kuruvai’ package should reach needy farmers irrespective of party affiliations as there were lot of complaints in the past that it was given only to farmers owing allegiance to the ruling AIADMK.
The collector appealed to farmers across the board to make use of the ‘kuruvai package’ as effectively as possible.
