CHENNAI: Buoyed by the recent showers that brought in unexpected water and placing the bets on the hope that the ensuing northeast monsoon would be normal, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday announced that the Mettur dam would be opened for samba crop from October 2.
The Chief Minister also announced a samba package for Rs 41.15 crore extending various assistance to the farmers in Cauvery delta areas in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Pudukottai, Ariyalur, Trichy and Karur districts.
The samba package would include grant of Rs 500 per acre for five lakh acres to undertake direct sowing and for ploughing the arid lands; Rs 10 per kg as grant for providing 4,500 tonnes of certified seeds; Rs 280 per acre as grant for applying weedicide in 2.50 lakh acres where direct sowing is undertaken; and Rs 75,000 as grant for buying 620 power tillers for undertaking preparatory works in paddy fields.
The Chief Minister has directed the officials to extend sufficient crop loans to farmers through primary cooperative banks and nationalised banks. The farmers should join the new crop insurance scheme even as they commence works for samba crop. The State government has allocated Rs 522 crore as grant towards crop insurance premium for the year 2017-18.
“Generally, during samba season paddy crops would be cultivated in 14.93 lakh acres. So far in the current year, Tamil Nadu had received slightly excessive rain — 533.4 mm of rain against 480.5 mm expected. As on date, the storage in the Mettur dam is 88.29 feet and inflow is 47,235 cusecs,” Palaniswami said.
Palaniswami also requested farmers to avoid long-term crop during this samba season.
D41.15-cr package for ryots
The Chief Minister also announced a samba package for C41.15 crore extending various assistance to the farmers in Cauvery delta areas in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Pudukottai, Ariyalur, Tiruchy and Karur districts