Chennai: Tamilnadu government has set a target of 127 lakh Metric Tonne for total food grain production, Agriculture Minister MRK Paneerselvam announced in the Agriculture Budget 2023-24.
Tabling The Agriculture Budget for Tamilnadu on the State Assembly today, the Minister said, ‘The State government will allocate Rs 253 crore to provide Special Incentive of Rs 195 over and above the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of Rs 2,821 per MT of cane announced by the Union Government to eligible farmers.’
A new portal called GRAINS (Grower Online Registration of Agriculture Input System) will be introduced in Tamilnadu in which the basic details like bank account, Aadhar number of landowners and cultivators, land details and crop cultivation details will be collected and digitised. This platform will enable the farmers to avail various benefits from a single source (One Stop Solution), he said.
An allocation of Rs.19 crore has been made for the availability of tomatoes throughout the year – Rs.29 crore has been allocated for the availability of onions. Similarly, subsidy will be provided for cultivation of winter vegetables like Souscous, Peas, Beans.
Prizes will be given to inventors of palm tree climbing machines – 10 lakh palm seeds will be given and women will be trained to make palm fronds.
Actions will be taken to provide financial support and interest-free loans to carry out the work of rearing goats, cows, bees etc. – An annual fee of Rs 10,000 will be announced to encourage farmers to get membership certificates.