AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Tuesday faulted slammed the State government for not fulfilling many of its assurances for the farm sector.
Describing the State Agriculture Budget presented in the Assembly on Tuesday as one of no use to farmers, Mr. Palaniswami told reporters that the government had not fulfilled its assurances of procuring sugar cane at ₹4,000 a tonne and paddy at ₹2,500 a quintal. Likewise, issues concerning copra farmers had not been addressed.
The Budget did not have anything for farmers who suffered crop loss last year during the Kuruvai cultivation season. Had the government ensured coverage of crop under the insurance scheme, the farmers would have got compensation of ₹84,000 per hectare. For those who raised paddy during the Samba-Thaladi season and suffered the loss, a solatium of ₹35,000 per acre should be given.
Mr. Palaniswami contended that a cooperative sugar mill, located in the Assembly constituency of Agriculture Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam, had not been put to use properly. As a result, cane farmers were selling their produce to private mills. The Budget did not have any scheme for the welfare of small and marginal farmers.
OPS flays Budget
Separately, AIADMK’s former coordinator O. Panneerselvam criticised the government for providing lower allocation to the payment of premium under crop insurance this year than what was done last year.
He recalled that the ruling party, in its manifesto for the Assembly election, talked of promoting coconut neera, a natural and non-alcoholic beverage, but the Budget did not have any reference to this. matter.
AMMK general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran said that though the DMK manifesto had 55 promises for the farm sector, the Budget had not fulfilled even a few of them.
The farmers had expected special schemes for protection against natural disasters and crop insurance but the Budget had nothing to offer.
