Puducherry, Jan 12 (UNI) Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Tuesday claimed that the territorial government is committed to uplifting the lot of the farmers by providing them incentives and free power supply.

Launching a scheme to provide subsidy to farmers raising paddy crop during sornavari, samba and navrai season at a function here , he said that around 3111 farmers belonging to different categories were being provided incentives totalling Rs 2.77 crores as was announced in the state budget.

Mr Narayanasamy said that the crop insurance scheme was already launched in Puducherry much ahead of the initiative taken by the Centre.

He said that the Supreme Court had reprimanded the Centre for the three farm reform laws which were posing hardship to the farmers. The farmers were now up in arms against the laws and were insisting repeal of the 'black laws'.

He said that although the Centre was planning to obstruct free power supply to farmers in Puducherry, the administration would make free electricity available overcoming all obstacles. He also listed steps taken to help farmers hit by recent cyclones.

Agriculture Minister R Kamalakannan who spoke on the occasion said no step was spared to take care of farmers through thick and thin. He regretted that IAS officers serving in Puducherry from Hindi speaking States were treating the Tamil speaking officers without prospect respect.

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