The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : “ Compensation meagre”

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Sunday, Apr 13, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

“ Compensation meagre”

L. Renganathan

Karur farmers say it is far short of actual requirement

Damage survey done in haste
Nuances of crop insurance complex

KARUR: A sum of Rs. 1.25 crore would be disbursed as compensation to farmers whose fields were affected by the unseasonal rain that lashed several parts of Karur district last March. However, doubts persist among farmers over the depth of the government assessment regarding its fairness. They are eager to know from the administration if all farmers who claim to be affected would receive a just compensation. They say the assessment lacked transparency.

Collector T.N. Venkatesh said the official survey of damage reveals that crops spread over 2,884 hectares were affected in the March rain. The estimates show that 3,687 farmers have been affected. Based on the survey results, the State Government allotted Rs. 1,25,60,000 would be disbursed as compensation to affected farmers. The Department of Cooperatives was instructed to release the compensation to the listed farmers expeditiously through the respective primary agricultural cooperative banks.

“Done in haste”

When asked about the quantum of compensation, a cross-section of the farmers felt that the compensation was far short of the actual requirement. Even the officials had conceded that the survey was done in haste. Farmers such as Kulithalai A.V. Gopaladesikan said there was not enough time for officials to study the damage, interact with farmers and representatives of organisations. The whole exercise smacked of insensitivity, many farmers alleged.

This was not the first time that such a haphazard assessment was carried out. It was no different from the exercise carried out in the aftermath of December flash floods, farmers said. Also there was absolute lack of coordination among various government agencies and departments in assessing the damage.

It was in those circumstances that a good and clear crop insurance policy would come in handy, Mr. Gopalakrishnan said. The present system of crop insurance must make way for a more transparent, effective and purposeful measure, he added. Now, it was more like a group insurance and individual farmers do not stand to gain by the present method of calculations. Individual loss for farmers should be compensated, he said.

Make insurance compulsory and extend subsidy for paying the premium. That would help farmers in a better way in times of distress more than the way the official assessment and compensation were carried.

Pointing out the need for all crops to be made eligible for compensation under insurance, the farmers observed that while many dry land crops were notified for Karur district, banana, which was being raised in hundreds of acres was not notified. Insurance for damaged banana crop could not be claimed that easily.

Even progressive farmers were at a loss to grasp the nuances of crop insurance and the need of the hour was proper motivation. Further, farmers have suggested the need for a timetable for awarding compensation — from assessment to disbursal. Any hasty collection of data and sporadic disbursal of fund would only serve to alienate the farmers.

A farmer in Kulithalai area who spent close to Rs. 9,000 as cultivation cost and lost the crop was compensated with a ‘princely sum’ of Rs. 800. If such things continue, farmers would only be disheartened, the suffering farmers said.

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