Chennai: Tamilnadu Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister MRK Panneerselvam said that the State government has allocated Rs 5,157.56 crore to provide free electricity to all farmers.
Presenting the second agriculture budget of the DMK government, Panneerselvam said that the Agriculture department has been allocated Rs 33,007.68 crore for the year 2022-23.
In order to enhance cotton yield during the year 2022-23, ‘Sustainable Cotton Cultivation Mission’ will be implemented at a budget of Rs 15.32 crore. The government wil also allocate Rs five crore as additional 20 per cent of subsidy to SC/ST farmers’, he said.
The Minister further said that out of the 86 announcements made in the first agriculture budget last year, the government order has been passed for 80 announcements and they are being implemented.
Panneerselvam said that the area of agriculture has increased to 53.50 lakh acres in 2021-22.
Steps have been taken to ensure the uninterrupted supply of fertilisers to the farmers at the subsidised price. Measures are being taken to mitigate the negative impact on agriculture caused by the global warming, he added.
Panneerselvam said that the state government has allocated Rs 2,339 crore as the state contribution to the crop insurance scheme for 2022-2023.
Tamilnadu government has allocated Rs 400 crore to boost organic farming in the state, he added.
He further said that the state government has allocated Rs 40 crore to encourage the cultivation of alternative crops like millets, oilseeds, etc.
Tamilnadu government will implement a skill development scheme on agriculture to train 2,500 youth. The government will prove Rs one lakh to more than 200 youth graduates to start agro-related businesses, the minister said.
He also said that three new food parks will be setup in Theni, Tindivanam and Manapari at a cost of Rs 381 crore.
The government will take necessary steps to achieve 126 lakh Metric Tonne of food grains production in the year 2022-23, he added.
The Minister also said that Rs 2,339 crore has been allocated for the state’s crop insurance scheme.
A new soil testing centre will be set up in Mayiladuthurai at Rs 75 lakhs, he added.
Earlier this morning, MRK Panneerselvam before his presentation visited former chief minister Karunanidhi’s memorial at Marina to pay his respects.
Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on Friday presented his first paperless Budget.