The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Nagapattinam News : All farmers to be given uniform compensation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Nagapattinam

All farmers to be given uniform compensation

Staff Reporter

Relief to be disbursed to crops hit by rain, flood

NAGAPATTINAM: The State Government has removed the discrimination between small and big farmers in payment of compensation for the irrigated samba and thaladi paddy crops that were affected by floods by the heavy rain during the northeast monsoon in October and November last year in the district and has issued orders for payment of compensation of Rs.2,500 per hectare to big farmers also.

The Collector, J. Radhakrishnan, told The Hindu on Tuesday that a maximum compensation of Rs.5,000 would only be given to big farmers by keeping a ceiling of two hectares. As a result, samba and thaladi paddy crops of big farmers that were affected in 24,406 hectareswould get a total compensation amount of Rs.3.70 crores.

The Government Order came following persistent pressure from the farmers associations to the Collector at the agriculturists grievances day meetings, citing the erstwhile Government Orders to remove discrimination between small and big farmers in the payment of compensation.

As per the State Government norms, persons holding one hectare (two and half standard acres) and below are classified as small and marginal farmers and persons holding more than one hectare are big farmers.

The Federation of Farmers Associations in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts demanded the Government by way of several representations not to discriminate between small and big farmers in the payment of compensation.

Arupathy Kalyanam, a progressive farmer and general secretary of Federation of Farmers Associations in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts, cited the Government Orders issued earlier about payment of compensation to the farmers without discrimination and also mentioned a recent order of the Madras High Court on a public interest litigation petition against discriminating farmers in disbursement of flood relief stating that the Collectors should consider and decide the matter in accordance with the law.

He thanked the Collector for taking quick efforts on the representations of associations and for getting equal compensation.

The Government had sanctioned Rs.21.82 crores in the third week of January this year payment of compensation for 71,212 hectares of irrigated samba and thaladi paddy crops.

While a sum of Rs.2,500 per hectare was given to 1,19,370 small and marginal farmers only Rs.1,000 per hectare was provided to the big farmers whose crops affected in 24,406 hectares.

The Government had also sanctioned Rs.1,000 per hectare for both small and big farmers as compensation for the paddy crops in 15,702 hectares damaged in rainfed areas.

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