Farmers Association urges for building barrages across Cauvery

Tiruchirapalli, Feb 24 (UNI) The Tiruchi district Cauvery Delta Farmers' Welfare Association has urged the Centre to grant permission for the construction of barrages across the Cauvery river in Tamil Nadu, ignoring opposition from the Karnataka Government and political parties of the State.

In a statement here today Association Executive President Mahadhanapuram V Rajaram said a resolution was adopted at a special meeting of the association held here yesterday.

It said the construction of barrages across Cauvery was essential to store the flood discharges during the monsoon season.

Besides, the meeting, while welcoming the recent recommendation of the Commission for Agriculture Cost and Prices to increase the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy to Rs 1,000 per quintal for the 2008-09 khariff season, wanted the MSP to be fixed at Rs 1,500 a quintal.

The meeting demanded action against private sugar mills which had failed to comply with the government directives. It appealed to the central government to establish an auction centre for banana, betel-vine and other agricultural produce in the Tiruchirapalli-Karur belt, he added.

The State and Central governments should accord priority and encourage mass production of agricultural implements in view of the severe labour shortage faced by agriculturists, he said.

The Centre should ensure remunerative prices for agricultural produces by creating marketing and storage facilities.

It also wanted that crop loans should be advanced at four per cent interest.

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