Coimbatore: Coimbatore-based farmers’ associations on Thursday said several announcements in the agriculture budget presented by minister R Vinoth were disappointing, alleging that they appeared to favour agricultural traders rather than cultivators. Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam stated that announcements relating to protective covers for mangoes and banana bunches, seed sales, wildlife repellents, agricultural tonics, growth promoters, micro-irrigation, subsidised fodder, nutritional inputs and processing centres would benefit businesses rather than farmers. Dr G Ranganathan, district secretary of the association, welcomed the measures announced in the agriculture budget, including a ₹63crore package to promote organic farming through the supply of green manure and cereals (navadhanya) seeds. Commenting on the announcement of 25% subsidy through the agricultural engineering department for desilting farm ponds, Ranganathan said, “The govt should have raised it to 50% before the budget was approved and must have involved farmers’ organisations in implementing the scheme.” He further stated that the budget failed to explain how the govt would address problems relating to nearly 60 lakh applications, of which 40 lakh involved land subdivisions. He said, “A transparent and uninterrupted system that could reduce delays and bribery has not been addressed. The state budget has failed to allow farmers to purchase machinery of their choice and subsequently claim the subsidy,” he said. He said the budget lacked an announcement on groundwater conservation. R Periyasamy, district vice-president of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association (associated with the All India Kisan Sabha – AIKS), condemned the state for failing to address the farmers’ loan waiver. Periyasamy said, “Farmers are very much disappointed with this matter and will continue to fight for their rights. The southwest monsoon has been a complete failure, leaving Coimbatore with a water shortage. The state should have declared Coimbatore a ‘drought-hit’ district to procure monetary support, which was also not done.” Criticising the failure to address district-wise needs, Periyasamy said, “During the pre- budget discussion, we had been demanding that the state frame measures for district-wise demand. A common framework will lead to failure. The green farming had already failed to address the purpose, and reinstating the same is of no use. The current budget failed to address control measures for the elephant invasion into farmlands or mitigation methods to avoid its invasion. The amount allocated for the Wild Boar Damage Prevention Scheme is insufficient and can hardly manage the needs of any district. In Coimbatore district alone, such incidents are frequently reported.”
