Urging the State government to announce a “special package for samba and thaladi” cultivation this season, the Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association has pleaded that ₹8,000 an acre be provided to farmers as “cash incentive” under the special package scheme.Drawing attention of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam-led State government, the association pointed out that the input costs and hire charges of agriculture machines/equipment had increased considerably in recent past. Under the Kuruvai special package announced by the government, ₹4,000 an acre was provided to farmers.Stating that ₹4,000 an acre would not be sufficient, the Association has urged the government to double the monetary assistance under the “samba and thaladi special package” and announce the special package scheme under rule 110 during the current Assembly session itself.While pleading to declare the delta districts as drought hit, the association claimed that their expectation of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay raising this demand at the recently held Southern Zonal Meet and Members of Parliament demanding that the delta districts be declared drought hit and sufficient funds be released from the National Disaster Relief Fund have not fructified.Meanwhile, G. Srinivasan of Ganapathi Agraharam, Papanasam taluk, has called upon the government to release water for samba/thaladi cultivation preparatory works citing the current storage at Mettur dam.Pointing out that the water level in the dam had crossed 86 feet and is likely to touch 90 feet in a few days considering the steady increase in the inflow in to the dam, the progressive farmer said delay in releasing of water from the dam would delay samba/thaladi cultivation preparatory work and thereby exposing the grown up crop to the fury of monsoon. Published - August 24, 2026 05:50 pm IST