A bag full of wishes: Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls T.N. voters look for fulfillment of multiple demands Premium

Tamil Nadu's key election issues include Cauvery water, farm profits, power tariffs, AIIMS, NEET, and industrial challenges.

With Tamil Nadu gearing up for the upcoming Lok Sabha election in the first phase on April 19, voters across the State are smouldering, with several major unresolved issues. For them, elections are yet another opportunity to voice their concerns to candidates. Multiple stakeholders have been pushing contestants to resolve issues in their respective regions. Here are some of the key issues that are driving the election this year, in Tamil Nadu.

For farmers of the delta region, the uncertainty over getting Cauvery River water from Karnataka for the kuruvai and samba crops remains the most important livelihood concern. Karnataka’s recent moves to intensify efforts to build a balancing reservoir across the river at Mekedatu have only heightened the anxiety. “A reservoir at Mekedatu would render the delta a desert,” is a common refrain of farmers leaders of the Cauvery delta.

“Rain flows from Kerala [running via the Kabini dam in Karnataka] account for nearly 60% of the water received at Mettur Dam. By building the reservoir at Mekedatu, Karnataka wants to impound this water under the pretext of using it for drinking water purposes. It is towards this end that the State is projecting the drinking water shortage in Bengaluru in a big way. If the reservoir is allowed to be built, the food security of Tamil Nadu will come under threat,” contends Cauvery Dhanapalan, president, Tamil Nadu Vivasaya Sangankalin Kootamaippu.  

Poor profit margins for farm produce are another major cause for disquiet among the farmers. Farmers organisations contend that both the Centre and State governments have failed them when it comes to ensuring a profitable Minimum Support Price for their produce. “Despite repeated assurances, the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Committee for providing 50% profit over the average cost of production has not been implemented yet by the Centre,” P. Ayyakannu, president, Desiya Thennidiya Nadhigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam pointed out. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam too has failed to fulfil its election promise of hiking the procurement price of sugarcane to ₹4,000 a tonne and that of paddy to ₹2,500 a quintal, he observes.

Strengthening the crop insurance scheme, increasing the quantum of dole given under the PM Kisan Scheme and ensuring proper maintenance of irrigation and drainage channels are among the other major expectations of the farming community in the delta region. 

Wholesale merchants at the Koyambedu market complex in Chennai noted that the price of staple vegetables, fruits and foodgrains has increased steadily in the past few years. P. Sukumar, treasurer, Koyambedu Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers Merchants Association, said this year, the cost of many perishable goods is already on the rise by 10% to 20%, at least a fortnight ahead. 

The price fluctuation is heavily influenced by gaps in demand and supply in the wholesale markets across the State. This year, a shortage in supply is expected as production may be lower due to lack of water resources and rain deficit in neighbouring States as well. “We need cold storage facilities both in producing States and Tamil Nadu to store surplus vegetables and fruits and supply during shortage. This will also help fetch better prices for farmers,” he said.