Chennai, Nov 16 (IANS) In a major relief for paddy farmers across Tamil Nadu, the State government on Sunday announced that the deadline for enrolment under the Samba, Thaladi and Pishanam Paddy Crop Insurance Scheme has been extended to November 30.

The decision follows approval from the Union government and comes at a time when continuous rain, a delayed Kuruvai harvest, and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls have slowed down insurance applications in several districts.

Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam said the extension was crucial to ensure that no farmer was excluded due to administrative or weather-related disruptions.

He noted that samba cultivation is progressing strongly this season, with 26.25 lakh acres already under cultivation across Tamil Nadu.

According to the Minister, 6.27 lakh farmers have so far insured 15 lakh acres, achieving 57 per cent coverage. This marks a significant improvement compared to the corresponding period last year, when only around 10 lakh acres were insured.

Officials attribute the increase to robust field-level awareness, timely release of water for irrigation, and improved accessibility of enrollment centres.

The insurance deadline was originally fixed as November 15 for farmers across 27 districts including Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Madurai, Pudukkottai, Karur, Salem, Tiruppur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Theni, Ramanathapuram, Tiruchi, Ariyalur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupathur, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Sivaganga, Cuddalore, Tiruvallur and Erode.

Panneerselvam said the State had received numerous representations from farmers and farmers’ associations highlighting how unseasonal rainfall and slowed administrative processes had affected their ability to file applications on time.

Acting on these concerns, the Tamil Nadu government urged the Centre to extend the deadline.

“Thanks to the swift intervention of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, the Union government has granted approval,” the Minister said in a statement.

He also appealed to all remaining uninsured farmers to complete their enrolment before the new deadline by visiting e-Sevai centres, Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Societies (PACCS) or nationalised banks.

Agriculture Department officials have been directed to step up field visits, mobilise village-level outreach teams and ensure maximum coverage under the insurance scheme, which is critical for mitigating crop loss risks during the northeast monsoon.

The government has reiterated that farmers must not delay enrollment, as the insurance coverage is essential to safeguard them against unpredictable weather conditions during the samba season.

–IANS

aal/svn