Nainar Nagenthran blames the State government for delay in paddy procurement

BJP State president Nainar Nagenthran blamed the Tamil Nadu government for the delay in procurement of Kuruvai paddy in the delta.

Addressing the media at the Alakudi direct purchase centre (DPC) near here on Saturday, he said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin was aware of the fact that the area under Kuruvai cultivation in the delta had doubled this season. Though enough time of more than three months was at the disposal of the government machinery, necessary steps to ensure smooth and timely procurement of enhanced productivity of Kuruvai paddy were not made.

Mr. Nagenthran alleged that the issue was only compounded with late arrival of gunny bags at DPCs and stagnation of the already procured paddy at the centres. “If the government machinery had acted on time, farmers would not have had to worry over preserving the harvested paddy on open grounds near the DPCs,” he contended.

Indicting the Ministers for blaming the monsoon for the current situation, he demanded that the State government compensate farmers who suffered loss in productivity and as well as total crop loss due to waterlogging at their fields, such as in Pinaiyur hamlet near Thanjavur, purely due to the failure on the part of the government.

He also accused the State government for not opening the DPCs constructed with the funds released by the Union government and operating the centres at rented places.