Chennai : The State Government has announced a Rs57-crore package for farmers in Cauvery delta districts to take up ‘kuruvai’ (short-term) paddy and pulses cultivation.

Under the package, there will be three-phase power supply for 12 hours and fertilizer subsidy, Chief Minister K Palaniswami said.

Regarding water shortage, he said that the level was low at the Mettur Dam and opening of the sluice gates for irrigating kuruvai crops was not possible. Water is released from the dam when the storage level is 90 feet and the full capacity of 120 feet, he said in a statement.

Karnataka had not released Tamil Nadu’s due share of Cauvery water last year. This would have an adverse impact on the samba and kuruvai crops. As a result, Mettur dam water level was not at 23.68 feet.

The situation had been reviewed with Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu and senior officials after which the decision on the Rs 56.92-crore package was taken.

Like in the past years, 12-hour three phase power will be supplied to the delta districts. Further, using available water resources, it has been decided to take up paddy cultivation on just 1.6 lakh acres as against 3.16 lakh acres last year, he said.

As part of promoting pulse cultivation, the government had proposed farming on 1.32 lakh acres as an alternative to paddy..

He announced 100 per cent subsidy on different types of manure and fertilisers for paddy cultivation, besides granting total subsidy to farmers taking up cultivation of pulses.

Subsidy would also be provided to machines used in transplantation and specific PVC pipes, he saidm adding that the agriculture department had been directed to initiate the works immediately.