Chennai: Tamil Nadu government has provided relief of Rs 940 crore to farmers who suffered crop loss due to drought or floods in the past three years, state Agriculture Minister M R K Panneerselvam informed the legislative assembly on Thursday.
Even those whose crop was destroyed due to the December 2023 floods in the southern Thoothukudi district were given this compensation, he said.
“Totally, 12.58 lakh farmers benefitted. Further, crop insurance compensation of Rs 4,436 crore was provided to 25.12 lakh farmers,” Panneerselvam said, winding up the debate on the fourth Agriculture Budget presented by him in the assembly on February 20.
Taking a swipe at the BJP government at the Centre, which approved a fair and remunerative price for sugarcane (applicable from October this year), the minister bragged that because the DMK government effected a timely revision of the minimum support price (MSP) for not only sugarcane but paddy, there are no farmer protests here.
“As a result, there’s no agitation by farmers here due to the government’s pro-farmers’ measures,” he said.
The minister then targeted the previous AIADMK dispensation, stating that there was a sharp decline in acreage under sugarcane cultivation in the state. Panneerselvam said the decade of AIADMK rule reduced sugarcane cultivation to a mere 95,000 hectares from 3.5 lakh hectares in the past.
Sugarcane, like paddy, is a water-intensive crop, and is unsuitable for places with dry climate.
“Now due to the present government’s efforts, sugarcane cultivation has increased to 1.5 lakh hectares,” he said.
