Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has assured government support to the farmers, saying he himself was one.

“I was born in a village. I was a farmer. I am still involved in farming. Therefore, I know how tough the problems of farmers are, and at the same time how difficult it is to practise agriculture,” he said.

The Chief Minister’s remarks at a government event at Anuppur on Saturday comes in the backdrop of stiff resistance from a section of landowners, especially farmers and agriculturists, for the proposed eight-lane expressway connecting this city with Chennai.

Earlier, The Madras High Court had restrained the Centre and the Tamil Nadu Government from acquiring land from people for the Rs 10,000-crore highway till further orders.

Palaniswami said farmers worked hard in different climatic conditions and that the “Amma government will stand by them forever for their welfare.”

“The government will formulate necessary schemes for them. Farmers in all parts should progress. Only if the farmers flourish can a country flourish,” he said and assured the farming sector all assistance in this regard.

Palaniswami recalled that the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was keen on rural development and therefore she formulated many welfare schemes.

comment COMMENT NOW