The Tamil Nadu government on Friday announced a ₹134.83-crore special package to promote the cultivation of kuruvai paddy across all delta and non-delta districts amid concerns over delayed monsoon rains and low water storage in the Mettur dam.Farmers plant paddy seedlings in a field during the Kharif sowing season. (PTI)The initiative by the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government aims to support rice production, protect farmers’ livelihoods and strengthen the state’s food security.Traditionally, the Mettur dam in Salem district is opened on June 12 every year to facilitate kuruvai cultivation in the delta districts of Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Tiruchirappalli and Ariyalur.However, the government said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast below-normal rainfall and Southwest Monsoon remains delayed in southern parts of the country, resulting in poor inflow into the Mettur dam.“The water level at the Mettur dam stands at 79.56 feet with a storage capacity of 41.52 TMC, it is currently not feasible to open the Mettur Dam today,” the government said in a statement on Friday.With the aim of boosting paddy cultivation despite the prevailing conditions, chief minister C Joseph Vijay announced the Kuruvai Special Package Scheme for 2026, noting that nearly 3.55 lakh acres could still be cultivated in delta districts using tube wells.The government said the scheme is intended to safeguard farmers against irregular rainfall patterns while encouraging paddy cultivation during the agricultural seasons, increasing rice production and supporting farm incomes.Of the total ₹134.83 crore allocation, ₹77.50 crore has been earmarked for delta districts to incentivise farmers undertaking kuruvai cultivation using wells.Another ₹57.33 crore has been allocated for non-delta districts to encourage cultivation during the Kar, Kuruvai and Sornavari paddy seasons, the principal cultivation cycles in Tamil Nadu.The package also includes incentives for mechanised transplantation, distribution of biofertilisers and paddy micronutrients, and subsidies for seed paddy distribution, among other measures.The government said the use of high-quality seeds and modern technologies under the scheme would help expand the paddy cultivation area, increase production and improve productivity, thereby enhancing farmers’ income and strengthening Tamil Nadu’s food security.