Rs 115 crore package for Delta farmers, but no opening of Mettur on June 12 in Tamil Nadu

CM says the government is taking expeditious steps to get Cauvery water from K’taka and very soon, the dam would be opened.

CHENNAI: Admitting that Mettur dam cannot be opened for irrigation as per schedule on June 12 due to less storage level, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday announced a Kuruvai package worth Rs 115.67 crore for Delta farmers to enable them take up cultivation using groundwater. Besides, he also announced a slew of measures to ensure cultivation in at least three lakh acres.
Making a suo motu statement under Rule 110, the CM said the State government was taking expeditious steps to get the Cauvery water from Karnataka and very soon, water would be released from the Mettur dam.

“The storage in the Mettur dam as on date stood at 39.42 feet and the inflow is only 2,190 cusecs.  With this storage, dam cannot be opened. Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari has promised Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha that the first meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority would be convened very soon. As such, until Cauvery water is released, the State government will exert pressure on the Central government,” the CM said.

Palaniswami said that for the first time,  a scheme to protect the livelihood of agricultural labourers would be implemented in Delta districts.  They will be engaged in desilting canals, setting up farm ponds, horticulture works and other agriculture-related works.
For this purpose, the government has allocated Rs 24.50 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Highlights of Kuruvai package

•  Three-phase power supply for 12 hours would be provided for Delta districts this year too as has been given during the past six years.
•  A total of 15,857 quintal of high-yielding paddy seeds will be given to farmers at a subsidised rate of Rs 1,750 per quintal. An amount of Rs 2.77 crore would be allocated for this purpose.
•  As many as 870 power tillers and 860 rotovators would be given to farmers at 50 per cent subsidy and for this purpose, Rs 11.94 crore would be granted.
• To encourage use of solar power pumpsets to use groundwater for irrigation, Rs 22.50 crore would allocated. The farmers, who withdraw their application for connection from TANGEDCO, will be given 90 per cent subsidy for setting up solar power pumpsets.
• The farmers, who are yet to get power connection, will be given 2,000 diesel engines at 50% subsidy. Farmers can register through Uzhavan mobile app for the initiative. The government will grant Rs 3 crore for this.
• A sum of Rs 4,000 per acre will be given to farmers for mechanised transplantation of saplings. For this purpose, Rs 40 crore will be allocated. Besides, micro-nutrient mixture will be distributed for 40,000 acres. This mixture will be given at 50 per cent subsidy.
• To apply zinc sulphate fertiliser in the deficient lands, Rs 200 per acre will be given as back-ended subsidy and Rs 1.60 crore will be given for 80,000 acres. Besides, for gypsum in 30,000 acres, Rs 600 will be given as back-ended subsidy and for this purpose, Rs 1.80 crore will be earmarked.
•  To encourage farmers to cultivate high-yielding short-term pulse varieties in 12,500 acres, quality seeds will be provided at 60 per cent subsidy and liquid biofertilizers and micronutrient mixture will be given at 50 per cent subsidy. For this purpose, Rs 1.13 crore would be allocated.
• Small and marginal farmers will be given priority in setting up 2,000 sprinkler irrigation systems at 100 per cent subsidy while cultivating pulses. For other farmers, 75 per cent subsidy would be given. For this purpose Rs 1.99 crore would be allocated.
• Green manure seeds will be provided to farmers to cultivate green manure in 15,000 acres with a view to fortifying the soil health of their lands in the Vennar region of the Cauvery delta. These seeds will be given at a subsidised cost of Rs 1,200 per acre.  
• A sum of Rs 2.25 crore will be allocated for providing 1,500 units PVC pipes (each unit will have 30 PVC pipes) to enable the farmers to use groundwater in a judicious way. A sum of Rs 15,000 subsidy would be given to each unit.