Chennai, Aug 6 (IANS) AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Thursday criticised the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government’s first Agriculture Budget, alleging that several assurances made to farmers ahead of the Assembly elections had not found a place in the financial statement.
Reacting to the 2026-27 Agriculture Budget presented in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly by Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, R. Vinoth, Palaniswami said farmers had expected concrete measures to address their long-standing demands, but the Budget had failed to meet those expectations.
He alleged that the TVK had made several promises to the farming community during the election campaign but had not provided adequate measures to implement them after coming to power.
Among the issues highlighted by the AIADMK leader was the demand for higher procurement prices for agricultural produce.
He said farmers had been expecting the government to announce measures that would ensure remunerative prices for paddy, sugarcane and other crops.
Palaniswami also criticised the government over its approach to agricultural loans. He said expectations had been high that the new administration would announce relief for farmers struggling with debt, including a waiver of eligible crop loans.
The former Chief Minister said farmers were facing multiple challenges, including rising cultivation costs, labour shortages and uncertainty caused by weather conditions.
Against this backdrop, he argued, the government should have introduced stronger financial support and measures to reduce the burden on cultivators.
Palaniswami maintained that merely announcing schemes would not be sufficient and said the government should ensure that benefits reached farmers without delays.
He also sought effective measures to improve irrigation facilities and strengthen agricultural infrastructure across the State.
The TVK government, however, has presented its maiden Agriculture Budget as a road map for strengthening Tamil Nadu’s farm economy.
The Budget includes initiatives covering soil conservation, pulses and oilseeds, millet cultivation, seed production and technology-driven agricultural services.
The government has also announced an AI-powered application to provide personalised services and information to farmers.
Palaniswami said the effectiveness of the Agriculture Budget would ultimately be judged by its implementation and the extent to which the government delivered on the commitments it had made to Tamil Nadu’s farming community.
–IANS
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