Chennai: MLAs elected from southern districts and farmers awaiting crop insurance allege tactical delay of cash deposits for TN farmers. “The state has said that a sum of Rs 1,282 crore is earmarked for insurance relief for TN farmers excluding Chennai, but there is no transparency on this issue,” said the leader of the Congress legislature party K. R. Ramasamy. “I have raised the issue in the assembly, but there is no respite for farmers. Till now the farmers in Ramanathapuram, Puthukottai and Sivaganga are yet to receive their crop insurance. Something is fishy as the insurance companies are delaying the cash dispersal meant for drought-hit farmers and state also remains mum on the issue. Though the distribution of relief commenced in April several farmers are yet to get their insurance amount, the MLA added.
Right from the start, there has been no transparency from Insurance companies handling the delta farmers. Most of the farmers do not know the actual premium amount paid by the state and by the farmers, rued Arupathy P Kalyanam, general secretary, Federation of Farmers Association — Cauvery Delta Districts. The state should have directed the insurance companies to release the list of beneficiaries at a micro level. There are 35 blocks in the delta region and we do not know how many farmers have been covered so far and cash distributed, he said.
The insurance amount was promised in May, but more than 40 days have passed but still farmers complaint about the pending insurance payments. According to state official sources insurance to a tune of Rs 1,066 crore has already been deposited into bank accounts of farmers. Distribution of another Rs 903 crore is underway. The state has paid a premium of Rs 440.18 crore as its share to cover the farmers spread across the state.
