GAJA CYCLONE LOSSES - REPRESENTATION SUBMITTED BY FEDERATION OF FARMERS ASSOCIATIONS

26-11-2018

SELF SUFFICIENT GREEN VILLAGES MOVEMENT
Founder - Organiser - Arupathy P.Kalyanam
2/73 - Main Road, Arupathy & Post -Tharangambadi Taluk
Nagapattinam District - Tamilnadu - Pincode - 609309
Contact : E-mail <arupathykalyanam@rediffmail.com>

&

Federation of Farmers Associations - Cauvery Delta Districts -Tamilnadu
"Gaja Cyclone" Severe Agriculture Losses - Representation Submitted to the GOI Team & to Tamilnadu State Government at  Nagapattinam, 

TO : Shri Richard E.Daniel - The Chairman, "Gaja Cyclone" Assessment Team (Joint Secretary - Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India )
Contact E-mail - <jscs@mha.gov.in>  and to all Members of the Team - Government of India 

Respected Sir, Greetings. 

     We Pray the Central Team and to the State Government for a fair micro level, accurate assessment in all the Cyclone affected Villages . We fear that the losses to agriculture,horticulture,floriculture and perennial tree/crops,cattles,individual assets, belongings of the farmers, common people  living in the worst affected districts of Nagapattinam,Tiruvarur, Thanjavur & Pudhukottai ,will be much more higher than the initial assessment made by the TN state government. As the Gaja Cyclone crossed as 'Severe Cyclonic Strom' the devastation is 10 times more than the 'Thane Cyclone- 2011'. Many interior revenue villages / hamlets were still not fully reached and the state government machinery recovered from the initial shock, is now working hardly to protect the affected people. Thanks to the extensive precautionery measures of the State Govt thousands of human lives were saved .This rare severe calamity smashed & crushed the economy of the people and farmers of this region back to 25 years. Some social organisations, NGO's  are also working sincerely and are trying to connect more social organisations for immediate assistance to minimise the sufferings of farmers & people. The initial assessment & request made to the GOI  by the State Government Rs 15,000 Crores is insufficient to face this rare severe calamity. Hence we pray more GOI assistance from NDRF on the basis of a fair micro level accurate assessment in the affected Villages.

     The relief measures, input subsidy as assistance for more than 33%  affected paddy, sugarcane, horticulture, floriculture crops / coconut, mango, cashew and all other perennial crops,  recently announced by the state govt is very poor and with this meagre assistance farmers can not revive their crushed economy. The newly implemented Crop Insurance Scheme the Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) lacks in many aspects to compensate the losses of farmers at individual level. The perennial tree crops such as coconut,mango,cashew,tamarind and wood value trees like teak were not covered in the PMFBY till now. As this is being the factual status both State & Central Govt's has prime duty to compensate the losses of perennial tree crops by allocating special funds untill a very effective PMFBY is been implemented at Individual Farmer Level, covering all the crops. 

     We humbly request the GOI & State Government to compensate the losses of Coconut & other tree crops as announced during the proposal of Eight lane Chennai- Salem National Highway project. At that time State Govt announced Rs 50,000/ to uproot a coconut tree. People & farmers should not be discriminated by both the Governments.

Our Prayer for Some Key Policy Issues:

     The SDRF allocation to All Indian States during 2015-2020,  for five years to give assistance during natural calamities is Rs 61,220 Crores. In the above amount Tamilnadu share is Rs 3751 Crores for five years.As if now State Govts has to share 10% in the above allocation.  The Vulnerability Profile of India was released by National Disaster Management Authority and it describes that more than 58.6% landmass is prone to earthquakes,over 40 million hectares 12% of total geographical area is prone for floods&river erosion, 68% of the  cultivable area is vulnerable to drought and out of the 7516 Km Coast line close to 5700 Km is prone to Cyclones & Tsunamis. As this is the factual status of vulnerability how we can save our 120 crore Indian Population during Natural Disasters with out Sufficient Funding to SDRF/NDRF. We request major policy change of GOI to allocate 1,00,000 Crores (One Lakh Crores) annually from the GOI Budget for SDRF/NDRF and special provisions be made to allocate 50% of the amount Rs 50.000 Crores, exclusively for Agriculture Sector.

     The Norms of assistance as Input Subsidy for more than 33% Kindly be enhanced according to the Actual Cost of Cultivation for respective Seasonal and Annual Crops , The present norms of assistance for Irrigated Paddy & other seasonal Crops is Rs 13,500 per Hectare,for rainfed Rs 6800/ per hec,with a ceiling of 2 hectare per farmer, for Perennial Tree Crops Rs 18,000/ per Hectare with 2 hectare ceiling. Now in the above four districts around 40,000 Hectares Coconut & other Perennial trees were uprooted by the Gaja Severe Cyclone. Farmers need around Rs 2 to 3 Lakh per Hectare to remove the uprooted trees. We Pray for enhancement of assistance to  rejuvenate the Villages, destroyed by this disaster. We kindly request the State Govt to convene a meeting of farmer representatives immediately to decide and increase the quantum of relief amount for to protect hte livelihood of the farmers. The ceiling limit per farmer also to be increased to the actual sown area. 

     We Pray for Equal Budget Support to Ministry of Agriculture & Famers Welfare with that of Defence Budget. The 2018-19 Budget Support to Defence Sector is Rs 4,04,385/ Crores including Defence Pension, The allocation to Agriculture and allied sector is Rs 58,080/ Crores. We strongly represent for Equal Budget to Agriculture & Farmers Welfare with that of Defence to Create "Self Sufficient Green Villages" & Mighty Self Sufficient Swadeshi India". We must protect Our 14 Crore Farm Holdings and the 58%population dependent on Agriculture Sector.  Our Prayer kindly be conveyed to personal knowledge of Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji through the Ministries. Please "Save Farmers to Save India". Assure Life Security to Farmers to Save the Food Security of the Nation.

Thanks.

Yours Sincerely,

Arupathy P.Kalyanam,
Founder-Organiser -Self Sufficient Green Villages Movement
General Secretary - Federation of Farmers Associations- Cauvery Delta Districts-Tamilnadu