Salem, Feb 26 (UNI) Continuing with his slew of announcements

ahead of the Assembly polls, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi

K Palaniswami on Friday announced 24-hour three-phase free

power supply for agricultural pumpsets from April one.

Inaugurating the Rs 565 crore Mettur surplus water scheme here,

he stressed that three-phase power supply was very important for

farmers and announced that 24 hour free power supply would be

provided to farmers from April one.

Stating that the ruling AIADMK was a government that hich fulfills

the requirement of farmers, the Chief Minister also listed out

various welfare schemes launched for the benefit of the farming

community.

He said the AIADMK government had created a historic milestone

by settling the Cauvery dispute and that it was his government

that declared the delta region as a protected agriculture zone.

AIADMK government was the only one that had waived farm loans

twice during a five-year term, he said.

Recalling that former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa promised

to waive off farm loans in the election manifesto during the

2016 elections and it was implemented soon after she assumed

charge, Mr Palaniswami said now, considering the requests of

farmers, crop loans to the tune of Rs 12,110 crore availed

by farmers in cooperative banks have been waived, benefitting

about 16.44 lakh farmers.

UNI GV 1235