MAYILADUTHURAI: Yet to fully recover from rain-induced damages, the current deadline to register for the Prime Minister's Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) would only add to the farmers' woes, the farmers here, demanding for deadline extension till month-end, said.
Considering the request of Chief Minister M K Stalin, the Union government on Sunday increased the deadline to register for the scheme from November 15 to 21. Farmers, however, opined it to be insufficient, as the district is yet to fully recover from flood-caused damages. R Vaithiyanathan of Mahendrapalli in Kollidam block said,
"Many villages here are yet to recover from the floods. The extended deadline of November 21 is still not enough are farmers are running from pillar to posts for document verification and the like. It should be extended at least till the end of the month." Mayiladuthurai district received a rainfall of 150 cm on November 11, with Sirkazhi recording its highest in 122 years of 44 cm.
Over 33,000 hectares of samba and thaladi paddy crops went underwater in the floods in the district, rendering it one of the most futile cultivation ventures in recent years. Earlier, the District Collector of Mayiladuthurai had requested the farmers to make use of the extended deadline of November 21 to insure their crops.
P Kalyanam, a representative from Arupathi in Sembanarkoil block, said, "Worried over crop loss, many of the farmers may not even be in a financial position or a state of mind to register for insurance. So, the State government should intervene and pay the premia to the farmers missing out on insurance."