The officials of Department of Agriculture, who have worked for more than three weeks, have compiled all welfare schemes meant for the farmers and started sharing it through prominent social media platform, WhatsApp.
Moreover, the officials also send the announcements meant for farmers through WhatsApp in Tamil and English.
During the last farmers’ grievance redress meeting held at the Collectorate, Collector K. Elambahavath, hailing from agrarian background, asked the agriculture department officials to compile within a month all welfare schemes of the department in Tamil to be shared with the farmers through WhatsApp. As the officials, led by Personal Assistant to Collector (Agriculture) Manoranjitham, completed the work within 3 weeks, they got the formal approval from the Collector and shared all information relating to welfare schemes and other announcements from the government with the farmers groups.
“We are getting all information pertaining to Department of Agriculture through this WhatsApp group... We are receiving even the applications for getting welfare assistances. Thoothukudi has become the first district in entire Tamil Nadu to introduce this system which is much helpful for us. We are grateful to the Collector and the officials of Department of Agriculture,” said farmer Jothimani of Aththimarappatti in the farmers’ grievances redressal meet held at the Collectorate on Thursday even as other farmers welcomed it with thunderous applause.
Mr. Elambahavath, while complimenting the officials, said 771 farmers, after getting the information through WhatsApp, had applied for various welfare schemes.
The “erratic” disbursal of crop insurance benefits to the farmers for the crop loss they had suffered in last December resurfaced in the meeting with the farmers complaining that “full compensation” was not given to the farmers.
The Collector replied that ₹58.24 crore for black gram, ₹11.38 crore for green gram, ₹89.21 crore for maize, ₹54,000 for sesame, ₹6.79 crore for pearl millet and ₹21.96 crore had been paid so far as crop insurance benefits. “We’ve taken all steps for giving due compensation for crop loss,” Mr. Elambahavath assured.
When farmer K. Subbiah of Udangudi told the Collector that the Department of Agriculture had not followed the guidelines in reclassifying the wet lands into arid land, Mr. Elabahavath ordered Revenue Divisional Officer, Tiruchendur to submit a report in this connection.
The Collector also accepted Mr. Subbiah’s suggestion to conduct survey of palmyrah trees in Tiruchendur, Sattankulam and Eral taluks.
He informed the farmers that the gold ornaments pledged in Kurumbur Primary Agriculture Cooperative Bank for raising loans would be returned once the ongoing inquiry by the Economic Offences Wing police on the misappropriation of funds in the bank was completed.
When the farmers opposed Superintendent of Police Albert John’s recent announcement that banned demonstrations in front of the Collectorate, the Collector said an appropriate decision would be taken later.
Published - September 19, 2024 08:14 pm IST
