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Chennai, Nov 23 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister MRK Panneerselvam has accused opposition parties of deliberately spreading misinformation about paddy procurement during the Kuruvai season and alleged that they are trying to politicize a complex issue rooted in climate-related disruptions.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Saturday, the minister said unseasonal rains caused by climate change have posed challenges for Kuruvai cultivation this year.
However, he stressed that proactive intervention by the state government – ranging from financial assistance to timely release of water – has significantly helped farmers mitigate the impact.
Panneerselvam said the state government has implemented several measures for the welfare of farmers, including the Rs 214 crore Kuruvai package scheme, subsidies for inputs and timely opening of the Mettur dam for irrigation.
“As a result of these coordinated efforts, paddy production has tripled compared to previous years,” he said.
Comparing the procurement figures, the minister alleged that only 1.79 crore metric tonnes of paddy was procured during the decade-long tenure of the AIADMK, while the DMK government, since assuming power in 2021, has already procured 1.93 crore metric tonnes.
“These figures speak for themselves. The opposition is spreading false allegations to mislead farmers,” he said.
Criticizing the central government, he alleged that the Center had refused to allow mixing of fortified rice and rejected Tamil Nadu’s request to increase the permissible moisture level for paddy procurement – an urgent demand amid widespread rains.
“After refusing to increase the moisture level, the Prime Minister went to attend a conference on natural farming. This is nothing but a double game on issues affecting farmers,” he alleged.
Highlighting the state’s financial assistance to farmers, Panneerselvam said crop insurance claims worth Rs 5,997 crore have been settled in the last four years, benefiting 37 lakh farmers.
Additionally, Rs 1,692 crore was distributed as disaster relief to 20 lakh farmers during the same period.
On the recent crop loss due to heavy rains, the minister said 4,893 hectares of land has been affected, affecting 4,667 farmers.
He said that the Chief Minister will soon announce compensation for the affected farmers.
The Minister also assured that fertilizer stocks in Tamil Nadu are more than adequate and strict monitoring is being done to ensure smooth and proper distribution in all the districts.
–IANS
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