THANJAVUR
Farmers’ representatives of Thanjavur district have pleaded with the State government to take over the crop loans sanctioned by commercial banks and relieve farmers of debt burden fully.
Raising the demand at the agricultural grievances meeting chaired by Collector, M.Govinda Rao here on Tuesday, the farmers thanked the State government for waiving the crop loans to the tune of ₹12,000 crores disbursed through the cooperative institutions.
Pointing out that in the recent past many farmers have lost their eligibility to draw fresh loans from the cooperative institutions as they were not able to repay the earlier loans on time due to crop losses, the farmers representatives such farmers had to necessarily depend on commercial banks for loans to continue cultivation.
“The State Government should come to the rescue of such farmers by allocating sufficient funds in the forthcoming State Budget for repayment of such crop loans on behalf of the farmers to the commercial banks,” said Sundara Vimalanathan, secretary, Thanjavur District Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.
Urging the officials to ensure that the loan waiver benefit reaches genuine farmers, Chinnadurai from Thiruvonam block suggested that this could be achieved by proper examination of the loan accounts as the possibility of non-agriculturalists availing crop jewel loans by presenting fake documents or without submitting necessary documents in connivance with the society people could not be ruled out.
He and Sundara Vimalanathan also suggested that special incentives should be announced and adjusted in the next loan for the farmers who have repaid the loans taken by them promptly during the period for which the crop loan waiver was announced.
A progressive farmer from Pudur in Thiruvidaimaruthur block made a fervent call to the officials to consider the offer from the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited to improve the green cover in the Delta region.
Yuvaraj of Pudur pointed out that there was a strong belief that burning of natural gas emanating from oil wells affect the prospects of rainfall in that region and to some extent, he claimed, this contention seems to be true.
Though heavy rain was recorded all over the district in the recent past, the Thiruvidaimaruthur region particularly the areas situated on the periphery of Kuttalam block had not received that much rain received in other areas in the region. Hence, he urged the District Administration to study the impact of burning of natural gas emanating from the oil wells in Kuttalam block on the environment and come forward to utilize the offer extended by the ONGC to improve the green cover in the region under its corporate social responsibility activity.
“I am not sure whether the burning of natural gas will impact the environment and thereby affect the prospects of rain. But I am sure that with the help of ONGC green cover in the region can be improved and maintained as the Corporation is willing to support the maintenance of the saplings also”, he added.
Several other farmers urged the State government to consider the declaration of special incentives to encourage farmers repay crop loans promptly.
