TIRUCHY: With samba paddy cultivation prospects dim from the closing of the shutters of Mettur dam over poor storage, farmers in the district seek the government to promote alternative crops by supplying seeds along with the supplements required. Alleging that primary agricultural cooperative credit societies (PACCS) aren’t sanctioning loans as they do for paddy, they also sought an extension of the benefit for alternative crops.
Vayalur N Rajendran, state treasurer of the farmers’ wing of Tamil Maanila Congress, said, "Without the [Cauvery] water supply due [for Tamil Nadu], 60,000 acres of samba cultivation is under threat. In such cases the agriculture department proposes alternative crops like urad dal and maize which consume less water. No special schemes, however, are announced for them; they are rather usual ones in which the beneficiaries are far lesser than actual numbers."
"Even cooperative credit societies are reluctant to issue loans for urad dal or maize. When asked they would reply that higher officials have not instructed them to do so. If the government is serious about its advice on alternative crops it should conduct block-level awareness meetings amongst farmers to encourage them [to take up its cultivation]," he added.
According to sources, under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), in every agricultural block around 10 revenue villages would be selected, and in each of them 10 will avail of urad dal seeds at a subsidised rate along with micronutrients and bio fertiliser kits. This ignores the others as the scheme cannot accommodate them.
When enquired, an agriculture department official said seeds of alternative crops are issued through the seed village scheme. Supplements, however, cannot be issued with them. Also, the 'Nellukku Pin Ulunthu' scheme from last year has not been extended yet, the official added. P Vishwanathan, president of Tamil Nadu Tank and River Irrigation Farmers Association said,
"The government has already failed the farmers in the Cauvery [water sharing] row; it should at least strengthen alternative crop cultivation amongst farmers by increasing the number of beneficiaries who receive seeds and supplements under state and Union government schemes." Veerasegaran N of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) said,
"The cooperative credit societies are reluctant to release loans for alternative crops. The state government must hence chalk out a comprehensive plan to promote alternative crops at this time." While agriculture officials insisted that seeds are being supplied under different schemes, they said that the grievances of the farmers would be taken up with the state government. When contacted a district-level official in the cooperative department said, "Crop loans must be sanctioned for alternative crops as well. I shall instruct the societies again on it."