TN CM Vijay Announces Rs 134.83 Crore Kuruvai Package for Paddy Growers

CHENNAI — Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced a special package of Rs 134.83 crore to encourage Kuruvai cultivation, aiming to boost paddy production in both delta and non-delta districts of Tamil Nadu. The announcement, made on Friday, comes as a major relief to paddy growers facing water scarcity during the current cultivation season.

According to a statement released by the Chief Minister, the state cultivates paddy on an average of 52.72 lakh hectares annually. This includes 20.65 lakh hectares in the delta region and 32.07 lakh hectares in non-delta districts. The Kuruvai season cultivation alone accounts for 5.14 lakh hectares of this total.

The special package was necessitated by a significant decline in Southwest monsoon rainfall. This dry spell has left the water level in the Mettur reservoir at 79.56 feet, which prevented the scheduled release of water for Kuruvai cultivation on June 12.

Despite the challenges, the government expects that Kuruvai cultivation can still be undertaken in around 3.5 lakh hectares through filter points, even as non-delta districts continue to face poor rainfall.

To safeguard the livelihoods of paddy growers, the state government has allocated Rs 77.50 crore specifically for delta region farmers using filter points. An additional Rs 57.33 crore has been allocated for farmers in non-delta districts who are cultivating Kuruvai and Sornavari varieties.

To ensure the success of the cultivation, the state government has also committed to providing three-phase electricity for 18 hours daily to the farmers. Furthermore, the administration has kept ready 10,714 metric tonnes of paddy seeds and 4.02 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizers to support farmers throughout the season.

The newly announced financial assistance and agricultural support aim to provide critical relief to the farming community during this challenging period.