Chennai: The purchase price of sugarcane will be increased from Rs 2,750 to Rs 2,900 per tonne announced Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam in the Tamil Nadu Agriculture Budget. Minister Panneerselvam on Saturday presented the Agriculture Budget for 2021-22. For the first time in Tamil Nadu, a separate budget was tabled for the agriculture sector.
Here Are the Budget highlights:
- A quintal of paddy will be purchased for Rs 2,060 and the normal variety for Rs 2,015. The Rs 2.62 crore Union-State Fund for Youth Entrepreneurship will be implemented.
- Coconut Value Added Center for Delta Coconut Farmers will be set up at Thanjavur.
- 5000 solar powered pump sets will be installed in the current year at 70% subsidy.
- An agricultural museum at a cost of Rs 2 crore will be set up in Chennai for the younger generation to know the pride of agriculture.
- Steps will be taken to produce 200 acres of seed in government seed farms in Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Trichy, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Theni and Tirunelveli districts and distribute it to farmers.
- The state government will allocate Rs 25 lakh for this project. In the first phase, this year 2500 youths will be imparted training in grafting, logging, raiding, green hut maintenance, maintenance of micro-irrigation system, operation of horticultural machinery and repair of agricultural machinery.
- The project will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore with the financial assistance of the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation.
- Measures will be taken to cultivate cotton in 1.7 lakh hectares to produce about 4 lakh bales and to purchase cotton at regulated outlets when the market price falls.
- Farmers will be given a special incentive of Rs 150 per tonne during the dry season.
- The purchase price of sugarcane will be increased from Rs 2,750 to Rs 2,900 per tonne.
- Subsidy will be provided for vegetable cultivation in all districts and cultivation of lettuce in an area of 1000 hectares.
- Two lakh seeds containing 12 varieties of vegetable seeds will be provided in subsidy in rural areas for children to reach for plants.
- Subsidy will be provided to improve soil fertility in 2000 villages where vegetable cultivation is less and to cultivate vegetables in an area of 1250 hactare and to increase production by cultivating lettuce in an area of 100 ha in all districts.
- A special Rs. 2 crore plantation center will be set up at Panruti in Cuddalore district.
- In Cuddalore, Dindigul, Erode, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli, Trichy, Vellore, Karur and Kallakurichi districts, 10 small scale farmers' markets will be set up in municipalities and urban areas at a cost of Rs. 6 crore.
- 40 per cent subsidy of Rs 20,000 dry fields at regulated sales outlets in Cuddalore, Villupuram, Salem, Namakkal, Krishnagiri, Erode, Trichy, Thanjavur, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruppur and Kanyakumari districts at an estimated cost of Rs 3.5 crore.
(With inputs from ABP Nadu — It is a Tamil platform of ABP News. For more news, commentary and latest happenings from Tamil Nadu, follow https://tamil.abplive.com/)