Ariyalur farmers raise concerns over loss of power supply support
Farmers in Ariyalur district have expressed growing concern over the discontinuation of the three-phase electricity supply scheme that once supported their irrigation needs. The issue surfaced during a recent public interaction where several farmer groups stated that their agricultural operations have suffered due to inconsistent electricity provision. The earlier scheme, implemented to ensure uninterrupted power for farming activities, appears to have been halted, leading to uncertainty and frustration among the agrarian community.
According to local farmers and civic observers, the discontinuation of the scheme has impacted small and marginal cultivators the most. These farmers, who rely on electrically operated borewells and pumps for irrigating their fields, now face reduced productivity and longer working hours. They argue that a dependable three-phase supply was essential not only for irrigation but also for operating modernised machinery that had begun transforming agriculture in the region. Many fear that without this energy infrastructure, the gains made in recent years could erode quickly. In addition to power supply issues, residents claimed several agricultural welfare schemes introduced earlier—especially those offering subsidies for women farmers and equipment modernisation—have been scaled down or stopped altogether. A significant grievance is the alleged lack of transparency in beneficiary selection.
Farmers allege that without digital application processes, which were once mandatory to curb bias and middlemen, the distribution of subsidies has become less accountable and more selective. These concerns are fuelling a wider debate over policy continuity and equitable access to government support. In Ariyalur, the unfinished infrastructure of a veterinary research institute has also become a symbol of interrupted rural development. Initiated several years ago as part of a broader agricultural education strategy, the institute remains partially built. Farmers and educators feel that had the project been completed, it would have supported both animal husbandry and rural youth education. Instead, stalled progress has left a gap in veterinary services, with livestock owners continuing to depend on distant or informal medical support.
At the heart of these concerns is a call for continuity in agricultural policy and greater responsiveness to rural communities. Farmers across Tamil Nadu have repeatedly highlighted the need for uninterrupted energy, fair subsidy allocation, and timely delivery of promised projects. As climate challenges mount and input costs rise, restoring lost support systems and ensuring infrastructure development will be vital for sustaining equitable growth in agriculture.
