Representatives of farmers in Thanjavur district have sought the inclusion of urea and fertilizers in the Delta Kuruvai Cultivation Special Package Scheme 2024.
Participating in the monthly agriculture grievance meeting in Thanjavur on Friday, they pointed out that in the past small and medium farmers benefited as the urea/fertilizers were distributed to them under the kuruvai package. But this time, those who had taken up mechanised sowing alone stand to benefit under the package under which they would get ₹4,000 per acre.
He said a large number of farmers were not in a position to avail this benefit and the chances of “misappropriation of funds” under this head could not be ruled out.
Stating that the enumeration of beneficiary farmers under the scheme was yet to commence, G. Srinivasan of Ganapathi Agraharam, a progressive farmer, wanted to know whether the financial assistance of ₹4,000 an acre for mechanised sowing would be credited to the bank accounts of farmers or would be distributed in cash.
Seeking the inclusion of urea/fertilizers in the scheme, he said in case the implementation of the package gets delayed, tokens could be distributed to farmers to draw fertilizers from the cooperative institutions and the amount could be settled directly by the State government.
V. Jeevakumar of Budalur said the amount under the package should not be paid by cash.
Farmers also demanded a minimum support price of ₹3,000 per quintal for paddy.
