Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam presented Agri budget in the budget session of the state assembly on Tuesday. Committee to overlook crop damage caused by wildlife announced.
Chennai: Budget of the Tamil Nadu Assembly was presented on Monday. Subsequently, several important announcements have been made in the separate budget for the agriculture sector, which was presented on the second day today.
Accordingly, the Government of Tamil Nadu will give an award in the name of Nammazhwar to those engaged in organic farming to highlight the great role played by Nammalvar in agriculture. Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam announced that the award will be presented along with a cheque of Rs 5 lakh and a citation on Republic Day.
A package of agricultural implements will be provided to 60,000 small and marginal and landless agricultural labourers at a cost of Rs 15 crore. A Village Agriculture Improvement Committee will be formed by coordinating the farmers to share information on seasonal crop technology to the farmers.
The one Stop Solution website will be introduced by computerising the farmer's welfare information. In the coming year, cashless transactions will be implemented in 385 agriculture block centres in 37 districts.
Rs 33 crore will be allocated for decentralisation of sunflower, sesame, groundnut and sorghum cultivation. In addition, a special zone for oilseeds will be created by merging the oilseeds growing districts of Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Erode, Dharmapuri, Namakkal, Salem, Trichy, Krishnagiri, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Vellore and Pudukottai.
Demonstration programmes on integrated farming practices during the coming year under coconut development development programme, a sum of Rs.20.00 crores will be allocated for setting up of coconut zone nurseries and replanting innovative schemes.
Sugarcane farmers will be given a special incentive of Rs 195 per tonne. A sum of Rs 10 crore has been allocated for the sugarcane cultivation development project and a structure will be created at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore for the production of organic manure from the waste soil of the Sugar Mill.
A movement for Madurai Jasmine will be formed in Madurai at a cost of Rs.7 crores. In Cuddalore district, the Jack Movement will be introduced at a cost of Rs.3. A chilli zone will be created at a cost of Rs 6 crore by merging Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar districts.
A sum of Rs.11 crore will be allocated for the Moringa Export Centre covering Tirupur, Karur, Theni, Dindigul, Thoothukudi, Ariyalur and Madurai districts at a cost of Rs.2.5 crore.
A sum of Rs.29 crore will be allocated for providing modern mechanical assistance in Perambalur, Namakkal, Salem, Thoothukudi, Trichy, Dindigul and Tiruppur districts to ensure smooth availability of tomatoes and onions.
A sum of Rs 19 crore will be allocated for implementation of schemes including drip irrigation to increase tomato production in Tiruppur, Salem, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Theni and Krishnagiri districts.
Dindigul, Erode, Tirupur and Salem districts will be given priority for cultivation of vegetables and flowers in the form of greenhouses and shade nets to decentralise the protected system of cultivation. A sum of Rs.3.00 crores will be allocated for providing high quality technical training to the farmers abroad in the field of agriculture.
A new project will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs.50 crore for the construction of integrated micro irrigation infrastructure in Lower Bhavani on a pilot basis. A sum of Rs.130 crore will be allocated for implementing the Housing Cluster Development Project in Theni district with private participation.
In order to make the students aware of the importance of agriculture, a sum of Rs.1 crore has been allocated for the implementation of farm tourism scheme for school children. In the coming financial year, 2,504 villages will be provided with 5,000 power tillers at a subsidy of Rs 43 crore.
Steps will be taken to trade in eye-borne seeds through regulated auction halls in Dindigul, Tiruppur, Erode, Trichy, Karur, Salem, Ariyalur, Perambalur and Nagapattinam districts. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has been allocated Rs 530 crore for the current year. The university will also be given Rs 100 crore as a fixed capital deposit. An agricultural scientist will be appointed as the officer-in-charge of the block. Rs 14,000 crore will be disbursed as cooperative crop loan in the coming year. Similarly, Rs 1,500 crore will be given as interest-free loan to farmers rearing goats, cows, poultry and fish.
In the coming year, Rs 500 crore has been allocated for providing an additional incentive of Rs 100 per quintal for fine variety paddy and Rs 75 per quintal for common variety paddy. A subsidy of Rs 24 crore will be provided for post-paddy crop cultivation.
A millet snack restaurant will be set up in all collectorates and mathi-poomalai complexes to sell value added items in millets. Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam has announced that a special committee will be constituted to look into the crop damage caused by wild animals.