Jaya grants Rs 80 crore to primary Agri Co-ops

CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday granted Rs 80 crore to the primary agricultural co-operative societies to purchase modern farming equipment and hire them to the farmers at a nominal rent so that the agricultural works would not get affected due to lack of farm workers. Each primary agricultural co-operative society will get Rs 20 lakh under this scheme. Since industrial growth is pervading from big town to small towns too, agricultural labourers are migrating to urban areas in search of jobs and as a result, farmers are unable to get sufficient number of workers for their work. Besides, the production cost of farm products is going up.