Delta farmers to receive aid of Rs 40.97 crore

Chennai: Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Thursday unveiled a Rs 40.97 crore package for Delta farmers to help them cultivate kuruvai crop (short-term crop). She ruled out the discharge of water from Mettur for irrigation as the water level was below 90 feet. Under the circumstances the state government has announced the special package to help farmers raise their crops.

“Farmers need not pay for any of the schemes and the state had assigned officers to execute the schemes and a sum of Rs 40 crore has been allotted to execute the projects and this would help enhance the acreage of kuruvai plantation,” the Chief Minister said in statement. As per the Cauvery water disputes tribunal order, the Karnataka government should release 10 tmcft of water for Tamil Nadu by June.

If the water is released, Mettur dam will have water storage of 79 feet, making it practically difficult to release water from the dam, Ms Jayalalithaa said.The Chief Minister said she had reviewed the situation with her senior Cabinet colleagues and officials, including finance minister O. Panneerselvam and chief secretary K. Gnanadesikan on June 2. The excess summer rainfall has helped improve the groundwater level across the state, she said, and listed out the schemes to help farmers.