CHENNAI: With a view to save water for irrigation, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday announced a ploughing subsidy of Rs 600 per acre, to promote direct sowing of paddy in delta districts. “This grant will be given for five lakh acres where direct sowing is adopted. For this purpose, Rs 30 crore has been allocated,” the chief minister said in a statement.
Around 40 to 45 tmc of water would be saved if the farmers adopt direct sowing and paddy would be ready for harvest, 10 to 15 days in advance, Palaniswami said, adding that he had already directed the Agriculture department to keep the following varieties of paddy seeds ready for distribution: CR 1009, CR 1009 Sub 1, CO 50, ADT 50 and TKM 13.
“Across Tamil Nadu, paddy cultivation is taken up in 43.50 lakh acres and in delta districts, in 13 lakh acres. Delta districts use water from Mettur dam for irrigation. When direct sowing is adopted, significant quantum of water will be saved. I appeal to the farmers in delta districts as well as those in other districts who adopt direct sowing, to avail the plough subsidy,” the chief minister added.
Palaniswami said water has been released from Mettur dam from August 13 and from Grand Anicut since August 17 for irrigation and urged the farmers to use the water judiciously. Meanwhile, official sources said disbursal of insurance claims for the period 2018-19 (for Paddy II) would start in the second week of September. PR Pandian, president, Cauvery Delta All Farmers Associations’ Coordination Committee, said officials had conveyed that the list of beneficiary farmers have been finalised.
Already, the Agricultural Engineering department has been asked to keep ready tractors, power tillers and other equipment necessary for use by farmers. Besides, the farmers should be encouraged to use green manure to fortify the fertility of the land.
The department has been asked to ensure availability of certified seeds of long-term paddy varieties at subsidised rates apart from micro nutrients, biofertilizers, urea, potash and other agricultural inputs.