Tamil Nadu Will Present First Agriculture Budget on August 14

On August 14^th, Tamil Nadu will present its separate agricultural budget after Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit made an announcement in the Assembly on 16^th June that the state will also have a separate budget for the agriculture sector. 

The purpose of this budget is to enhance the agricultural productivity and protect farmers by focusing on new technologies, new cultivation methods and agricultural modernization with the active participation Farmer’s Welfare Associations, Farmer’s Producers Groups and experts. 

Purohit in his speech said, “To increase farmers’ income, allied activities like animal husbandry, value added farming, organic farming and cultivation of horticultural crops will be promoted. The government will introduce a separate annual budget for agriculture with the objective of increasing agricultural productivity and protecting farmers’ welfare”. 

The governor also highlighted efforts to rejuvenate the Uzhavar Sandhais (Farmers’ Markets) established by the late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. The budget tries to create more such a market in the country. 

The budget session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly will commence today (13, August) and will continue till September 21. 

About separate agricultural budget: 

An exclusive budget for agriculture was started by Karnataka in 2011-12 to provide an approach focused on the agricultural sector. Andhra Pradesh followed the same plan calling it policy paper on agriculture. Later States like Telangana, Rajasthan and Bihar too had similar plans but could not pursue it due to the reason of many legal and technical issues. 

Tamil Nadu has welcomed opinions from many farmer associations and industry bodies for its first agricultural budget. N Kumar, vice chancellor, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, told Business Standard, 

“For Tamil Nadu, this will promote the new varieties of hybrid crops developed in the state.

The move will also be helpful in addressing local issues like water management, farming techniques, post-harvest management, giving additional focus to the sector”.