A section of farmers in Sirkazhi-Kollidam belt that form the tail-end areas of delta region, have urged the State Government to include diesel subsidy in the ₹61.09 crore kuruvai package announced by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin recently.
The kuruvai package in the existing form for input and equipment subsidies includes 100 percent fertilizer subsidy and 50 percent subsidy for paddy seed for farmers in the Cauvery Delta Region.
Though the government released water on June 12 as per the schedule for kuruvai crop, the flow does not get beyond the main canals from the river.
The desiltation could be carried out under kudimaramathu scheme only in A-type canals. The force of water is not enough to percolate to the sub-canals, according to M. Prabakar, a farmer of Sirkazhi.
Farmers are indeed happy over the announcement of kuruvai package after a gap of three years. According to officials, ₹50 crore has been earmarked for providing farm equipment to farmers on subsidies, and ₹11.09 crore for effective use of water.
A provision must be made for providing diesel subsidy to farmers similar to the scheme being extended to fishers utilising mechanised boats, Rajarajan, another farmer said.
Though water was released from Kallanai on June 16, it was yet to reach the smaller canals that feed the ponds, Rajarajan, another farmer said that the diesel subsidy has become necessary for two reasons: the supply of three-phase power was only for 12 hours, and the escalating cost of diesel.
For most of the farmers in Sirkazhi, Kollidam, Achalpuram and Nallur areas, use of diesel engines was the only option to carry out kuruvai cultivation.
But, they feel stranded without sufficient water since the expenditure they incur on diesel for irrigating a few acres of paddy fields runs into a few thousands of rupees every day.
On an average, a litre of diesel is sufficient to irrigate one acre for just an hour. The diesel motor has to run for at least seven hours a day for raising the crop on an acre, the farmers say.
