In a recent announcement, Tamil Nadu's Agriculture Minister M R K Panneerselvam revealed that the state government has allocated Rs 940 crore in relief funds for farmers who faced crop losses due to droughts or floods over the past three years. The aid covers those affected by the December 2023 floods in Thoothukudi district.
A total of 12.58 lakh farmers have benefited from this relief. Additionally, 25.12 lakh farmers received Rs 4,436 crore as compensation through crop insurance. The minister shared these details while concluding the discussion on the fourth Agriculture Budget presented in the legislative assembly on February 20.
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Panneerselvam took a dig at the central government, particularly the BJP, mentioning that the DMK government's timely revision of minimum support prices (MSP) for sugarcane and paddy prevented farmer protests in the state.
Highlighting a decline in sugarcane cultivation during the previous AIADMK regime, the minister emphasized that under their rule, the acreage for sugarcane dropped from 3.5 lakh hectares to a mere 95,000 hectares. Sugarcane, being a water-intensive crop, faced challenges in the state's dry climate.
However, Panneerselvam asserted that the current government's efforts have successfully increased sugarcane cultivation to 1.5 lakh hectares, bringing positive changes to the agricultural landscape in Tamil Nadu. Overall, the measures taken by the government aim to support farmers and address challenges faced in the agricultural sector.
