Key highlights from TN Agriculture budget 2023
Announcing several new schemes and upgrading pre-existing schemes to promote farming in the state, Tamil Nadu Agricultural Minister M. R. K. Panneerselvam tabled Tamil Nadu Agriculture Budget 2022-23 on Tuesday.
Tabling the budget, the Minister said that the Tamil Nadu government has given Rs 1,695 crore as insurance premium subsidy. So far Rs 783 crore has been given as compensation to 6.71 lakh farmers.
In Digital Agriculture with a view to providing efficient Agricultural Services, ‘Uzhavan App’ is rendering 22 important agricultural services from seed to sale, he said.
The Minister also made several other announcements.
- Allocation of Rs.9 Crore to improve basic facilities in 25 Farmers’ Markets – Measures to provide refreshments and herbal soup to farmers coming to Farmers’ Markets
- At a cost of Rs.1 crore, 500 youths will be trained to operate agricultural implements – Actions will be taken to get geographical codes for Krishnagiri Arashampatti Coconut, Panneer Rose etc.
- School students will be taken on a farm tour to create awareness about agriculture – Rs.125 crore allocation for providing agricultural machinery, rental machinery to farmers
- 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.
- A separate scheme will be launched at Rs.130 crore to create a unique identity for bananas in Theni district – a package will be set up to promote Madurai jasmine production.
- Allocation of Rs.450 crore for setting up micro-irrigation system in 53,400 hectares in water-scarce areas.
- Training abroad for farmers to learn foreign agricultural technologies – Rs.3 crore allocation for this scheme
- 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