TN govt announces Rs 115 crore package for Delta farmers

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday announced a package of Rs 115.67 crore for the Delta farmers as they suffer from the shortage of water for irrigation. Noting that the Mettur dam cannot be opened for irrigation on June 12 as scheduled since the dam has low water storage, the CM also announced that Delta districts will get the three-phase power supply for 12 hours.

The government’s measures for the Delta farmers include a total of 15,857 quintal of high-yielding paddy seeds at a subsidised rate of Rs 1,750 per quintal, 870 power tillers and 860 rotavators at 50% subsidy, 2,000 diesel engines at 50% subsidy for farmers without power connection and micro-nutrient mixture at 50% subsidy for 40,000 acres.

Farmers will also be given Rs 4,000 per acre for mechanised transplantation of saplings and fertilizers at a subsidised rate. While small and marginal farmers will be enabled to set up 2,000 sprinkler irrigation systems at 100% subsidy, other farmers will get 75% subsidy for the same.