CHENNAI: Following principal opposition DMK’s charge of disbursal of paltry amount under crop insurance scheme for farmers, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday promised to look into the issue and take appropriate action to rectify mistakes.
Raising the matter in the Assembly during the debate on the Budget, DMK MLA K Pitchandi from Kilpennathur said a farmer in Oddanchatram was given an amount of just Rs 5 for crop insurance by the Dindigul Central Cooperative Bank.
When Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu began to explain about the total amount provided to farmers under the crop insurance scheme, Leader of Opposition M K Stalin shot back, saying a farmer named Kuppusamy was given Rs10, Kanagaraj Rs 7 and Kumaravel Rs10 as crop insurance amounts.
Responding to the charges, Minister for Co-operation Sellur K Raju informed that as many as 10.15 lakh farmers were disbursed a total of Rs 3,113 crore under the crop insurance scheme in the State, while 3,172 farmers were given Rs 8.82 crore in Dindigul district alone.
He conceded that complaints had been received from five farmers over the very low insurance amount. A similar case was reported from Nagapattinam district also. “We have taken up the matter with the Department of Agriculture. The district Collectors concerned have been asked to look into the issue and take necessary action to provide the farmers insurance amount due to them,” he said.
Doraikannu also assured the House of appropriate action to rectify the mistakes in disbursing crop insurance.
However, he claimed that Tamil Nadu had bagged honours for highest amount of crop insurance when compared to other states.
Showing cheques given to farmers, Pitchandi, a former minister, rued that a farmer had to spend `500 for opening a bank account in order to encash the said amount.