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Chennai, Nov 16 (IANS) In a major relief to paddy farmers across Tamil Nadu, the state government on Sunday announced that the deadline for enrollment under the Samba, Thaladi and Pishanam paddy crop insurance scheme has been extended till November 30.
The decision comes after the approval of the Central government and comes at a time when incessant rains, delay in Kuruvai crop and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists have slowed down insurance applications in many districts.
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister MRK Panneerselvam said the extension is important to ensure that no farmer is left out due to administrative or weather-related disruptions.
He said samba cultivation is making strong progress this season, with 26.25 lakh acres of land already being cultivated across Tamil Nadu.
According to the minister, 6.27 lakh farmers have so far insured 15 lakh acres, achieving 57 percent coverage. This represents a significant improvement over the same period last year, when only about 10 lakh acres were insured.
Officials attribute this growth to stronger awareness at the field-level, timely release of water for irrigation and better access to enrollment centres.
27 districts including Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Madurai, Pudukkottai, Karur, Salem, Tiruppur, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Theni, Ramanathapuram, Tiruchi, Ariyalur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Perambalur. The insurance deadline for farmers in the U.S. was originally set for November 15. Sivagangai, Cuddalore, Tiruvallur and Erode.
Panneerselvam said the state has received several representations from farmers and farmer unions highlighting how unseasonal rains and slow administrative processes have affected their ability to file applications on time.
Acting on these concerns, the Tamil Nadu government urged the Center to extend the deadline.
“Thanks to the prompt intervention of Chief Minister MK Stalin, the central government has given approval,” the minister said in a statement.
He appealed to all remaining uninsured farmers to complete their enrollment before the new deadline by visiting e-seva centres, Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Societies (PACCS) or nationalized banks.
Agriculture department officials have been directed to increase field visits, organize village-level outreach teams and ensure maximum coverage under the insurance scheme, which is important to reduce the risk of crop loss during the northeast monsoon.
The government has reiterated that farmers should not delay enrolment, as insurance coverage is essential to protect them against unexpected weather conditions during the Samba season.
–IANS
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