Government announces award for rice yield

CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday announced that a cash prize of  Rupees 5 lakh would be awarded to the farmer who achieves the highest productivity by using the System of Rice Intensification technology.  The award consisting of the cash prize besides a medal worth `3,500 will be presented by the CM during the Republic Day celebrations every year, an official release here said.A farmer who wishes to take part in the competition should have cultivated paddy in a minimum of 50 cents of land and should have achieved an yield of at least 2,500 kg per acre.  This competition will be held in all districts of the State except in Chennai and Nilgris district, the release added.