Kerala - Alappuzha   

Payment for procured paddy yet to be released

ALAPPUZHA: Farmers in the Kuttanad belt spread over the three districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta are waiting for payment of the paddy that was procured from them by the State Civil Supplies Corporation.

According to Thomas Peelianickal, executive director of the Kuttanad-based farmers' forum, Kuttanad Vikasana Samithi (KVS), about 16,000 farmers in the three districts are waiting for the money, which should actually have reached them more than two months ago.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, in a discussion with the representatives of the farmers and members of KVS on June 7, had assured to distribute the amount from June 9.

“Recently too, in a second meeting with the representatives, Mr. Chandy said the Civil Supplies Corporation was directed two weeks ago to organise the money required through bank loans and to distribute the same to the farmers,” Fr. Peelianickal said, adding that the Chief Minister had expressed disappointment over the delay in the process.

“He has given directions to the officials to ensure that payment would be completed within June 27. But in case the officials fail again, farmers are planning to hold a hunger fast on June 28 in front of the Mankombu Paddy Marketing Office.”

Fr. Peelianickal and other farmers' representatives said the last round of payment in Kuttanad was done on March 31. The remaining amount, totalling over Rs.130 crore, was yet to be distributed.

The delay in payment was manifesting itself in different forms of misery for the farmers, he said.

Many farmers were under tremendous pressure from banks to repay the loans they had availed of prior to cultivation.

Moreover, the farmers would be able to launch preparations for the second round of cultivation only if they got the money, he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Payment for procured paddy yet to be released
Pollution: jail term for coir firm directors

Copyright © 2011, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu