Puducherry's farmers, affected by recent rainfall, will get Rs 7.10 crore rain relief for 2021-2022, Agriculture Minister C 'Theni' Jayakumar announced in a statement. This comes at a time when the Centre approved an additional Rs 6 crores to the Union Territory as rain relief.
On Wednesday, Lt Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan accorded approval for relief assistance to affected farmers in the Puducherry, Karaikal and Yanam regions of the UT.
Relief will be provided at `20,000 a hectare. Around 2985.56 hectares of paddy, vegetables, and tuber crops were affected in Puducherry. Meanwhile, 487.79 hectares in Karaikal and 79.53 hectares in Yana, too, were hit. Around 6054 farmers in Puducherry, which includes 5749 small and marginal farmers (SMF) and 305 other farmers (OSMF), would be provided `5,97,11.200 Karaikal's 731 farmers-- including 652 SMF and 79 OSMF--will get `97,55,800 and 231 farmers in Yanam, 222 SMF and nine OSMF, will receive 15,90,600.
The relief will be credited to the farmer's bank account. The Additional Directors of Agriculture (T&V), Thattanchavady, Puducherry and Karaikal and Deputy Director of Agriculture, Yanam will ensure beneficiaries receive the ex gratia.