Chennai, Mar 19 : With a view to fulfilling the farmers need and increase their income with various components, the Tamil Nadu Government will introduce a new Scheme namely State Agricultural Development Scheme, this year with a total allocation of Rs.71 crore. This will be implemented by “Kalaignarin All Village Integrated Agriculture Development Programme”, Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam said while presenting the second agricultural budget in the State Assembly today. This scheme includes key features like promotion of Organic Farming for which the State Government has initiated establishment of Nammazhvar Organic Farming Research Institute for encouraging the farmers who are interested in Organic farming. Now, during 2022-23, a sum of Rs.4 crore has been allocated for production of Organic produces in foodgrains, vegetables, fruits for development of imm ty to lead a healthier life. Financial assistance at the rate of Rs.1 Lakh per group will be extended to 100 farmers and Farmer producer who are interested in production and sale of organic inputs like Vermicompost, Jeevamirtham etc., Besides, under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, farmers who are interested in Organic farming will be integrated to form 150 clusters covering an area of 7,500 acres at an outlay of Rs.5 crore under on and State Government funds. He said the farmers will also be distributed Tarpaulins. Farmers will suffer when their hard earned produce gets drenched in rain. To safeguard the harvested produce from natural disasters and also for utilizing as drying yard, Tarpaulins will be provided to 60,000 farmers at subsidized cost at an outlay of Rs.5 crore. The Minister said the Nel Jeyaraman Traditional Paddy Varieties Conservation Mission is being implemented in order to preserve and restore the traditional paddy varieties in Tamil Nadu. During 2022-23, the Traditional Paddy varieties will be cultivated in 200 acres in the State Seed Farms and distributed at subsidy to 20,000 farmers at an outlay of Rs.75 Lakh. He also announced that special Package will be provided to encourage the farmers to take up alternative crops such as Millets, Pulses and Oilseeds in Kar, Kuruvai, Sornavari season in an extent of 66,000 acres at an outlay of Rs ten crore. GV 1609
