On the occasion of the World Soil Day on December 5, Members of Parliament A.K. Selvaraj and P. Nagarajan have promised to give voice for the farmers in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, at Vivekananthapuram, near Karamadai.

Sri Avinasilingam Educational Institution had organized special celebrations to mark the World Soil Day today, including distribution of soil resource cards to the farmers, and the inauguration of the soil nutrition exhibition.

During a discussion with the MPs, P. Nagarajan MP said that that farmer suicide was very less in Tamil Nadu when compared with other states in India. He assured the farmers that the state government was always with them. He requested the farmers to grow more yield with the soil resource and not to sell the land away to real estate agents.

A.K Selvaraj M.P reiterated the importance of using new technology in agriculture. He reminded the farmers that the government has given 100% subsidy to small and marginal farmers for drip irrigation system. He asked the farmers to file complaints against companies that tried to fleece them.

A. Ramakrishnan, Deputy Director of Horticulture noted that both the state and central government have contributed 65 percent and 35 percent respectively, to the drip irrigation subsidy. Farmers possessing between 2.5 to 5 acres of land are eligible for 100 percent subsidy. Those with more than 5 acres can claim 75 percent subsidy.

M. Iqbal, Deputy Director of Agriculture, stated that the department had issued soil resource cards to 10,000 farmers last year. There are plans to issue cards to 10,000 farmers in this year. He advised the farmers to utilize the 100 percent subsidy to plant lentils, Sanappu, Thakkappodu. Vettiver and lemongrass were distributed to the farmers to prevent soil erosion.

Dr. P. Kumaravadivelu, Senior Scientist at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Coimbatore, introduced new varieties of chicken developed in Hyderabad, named Namakkal 1, Kiramappiriya, and Vanaraja.

Dr. T.S.K Meenakshi Sundarm, president of Sri Avinasilingam Educational Institute; N. Sukanthi, specialist in Geomagnetic Department; directors of agricultural departments, scientists from agricultural university, development officers, and farmers participated in the event.