Chennai, Nov 23 (LatestNewsX) – more than 18,000 farmers in 38 revenue panchayats that now form the newly created Srimushnam taluk of Cuddalore district will obtain the benefits of Kuruvai and Samba cultivation packages, along with all irrigation schemes that have traditionally been limited to the Cauvery delta region.
The inclusion follows a water‑resources department order that formalised a promise made by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin at a public event in Cuddalore on July 15. By expanding the protected agricultural zone, the government has granted these panchayats the same subsidies, support and water allocations that previously applied only to the core delta districts.
Officials say the directive is a key step in strengthening agricultural resilience and ensuring water security for areas whose cropping patterns and irrigation requirements closely match those of the delta.
According to senior officials, the order places 10,550 hectares of land under the protected zone – a change that will directly benefit 18,250 farmers, many of whom rely entirely on canal irrigation and seasonal river flows to sustain Kuruvai and Samba paddy cycles.
Water Resources Department secretary J. Jayakanthan explained in the notice that the decision followed extensive consultations with domain experts, senior engineers of the Cauvery technical cell, and the district administration. Their combined assessment confirmed that the soil profile, water availability and agricultural practices in these panchayats align with the larger Cauvery delta, thereby justifying their formal inclusion.
The decision guarantees Cauvery water supply for the newly added panchayats, especially during critical cultivation windows. Farmers will now become eligible for schemes focused on desilting waterways, strengthening canal networks, modernising irrigation structures, and improving field‑level water management.
Officials added that the regular release of water from the Mettur reservoir—typically beginning in the second week of June—will markedly improve groundwater recharge in the region. This, in turn, is expected to stabilise agricultural activities, reduce dependence on private borewells, and enhance crop productivity during both Kuruvai and Samba seasons.
The extension of the protected agricultural zone in Srimushnam taluk is being hailed as a major boost for farmers seeking long‑term water security and institutional support for sustainable paddy cultivation.
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