23 lakh farmers have taken up crop insurance, says Edappadi K Palaniswami

Chennai: A total of 23 lakh farmers across Tamil Nadu have insured their crops raised in about 34 lakh acres, under the Prime Minister's Crop Insurance scheme, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said and added the move will help the farmers to obtain compensation for any crop loss due to natural calamities.

Assailing the DMK for doing precious little in ameliorating the condition of the farmers when it ruled the State, the Chief Minister said though the DMK had assured to waive off Rs 7,000 crore crop loan, it had only written off Rs 5,000 crore.

Intervening the speech of DMK member K. Ponmudi during a discussion on budget in the Assembly Mr. Palaniswami said during 2017 – 18 fiscal the insurance companies had sanctioned Rs 1,128 crore to about 6.7 lakh farmers in TN and disbursed Rs 996 crore. “Of the sum, Rs 747 crore was directly transferred to the bank accounts of 3,72,717 farmers,” he said.

Raising the issue of crop waiver, Mr. Ponmudi sought to know if the government would waive off the loans of large farmers similar to the initiative extended to small and marginal farmers. Responding, Cooperation Minister Sellur K. Raju said the government policy of extending sops was primarily targeted at the small and marginal farmers based on the economic criteria and not for the ‘affluent’ farmers.

Also, the decision to waive off loans is made based on the fiscal position of the State, the Minister added.

“In our election manifesto Amma (late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa) had assured to waive off the loans of small and marginal farmers and she kept up her promise when she stormed to power,” Mr. Raju emphasised.