Unlike other states, TN farmers needn’t protest to get their rightful demands: Min MRK Panneerselvam

TIRUCHY: Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam on Tuesday said that the DMK government has been fulfilling the demands of the farmers to ensure that they lead an honourable life, the results of which could be seen from the fact that no suicide has been reported in the farm sector across the State.

Delivering a talk at the 30th national conference of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which commenced in Nagapattinam on Tuesday, the minister explained the schemes launched by the TN government for the community’s welfare. Farmer leaders from various states, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, took part in the conference.

Addressing the participants, the Agriculture Minister said that farmers have been protesting in various states, including Delhi, but similar protests are not witnessed in Tamil Nadu, as the State government is very particular in fulfilling the demands of farmers from time to time. “The late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi enacted a ruling to ensure every landless farmer avails 2.5 acres of land for their cultivation. Similarly, around 23.68 lakh farmers have so far been distributed with free power supply”, the minister said.

He pointed out that Chief Minister MK Stalin is very keen on fulfilling requirements of the farmers to ensure the farmers are lead an honourable life.

The minister added that the State had never witnessed suicides of farmers ever since the DMK formed government as it is the government of the people.

Meanwhile, he expressed satisfaction that the government had presented an exclusive agriculture budget for the past four years after visiting the farmers personally and interacting with them.

While addressing the conference, Kerala Agriculture Minister P Prasad charged that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had betrayed the farmers, failing to fulfil the promise of a profitable price for the farm produce. He said that the Prime Minister is more committed to working for the corporations than the farmers. He also charged that the anti-farmer activities continue in the centre despite the withdrawal of three farm laws after the continuous protests by the farmers across the country.

AIKS president Raja Kshirsagar presided over the conference, which would culminate on April 17.