Chennai, Tamil Nadu agriculture and farmers welfare minister M.R.K Panneerselvam said that the government would provide Rs 1 lakh each to 200 youths to start agro-business.

He was addressing the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly while presenting the agriculture budget for the financial year 2022-23.

This is the second agriculture budget since the DMK government assumed office in state.

The agriculture minister also said that agri parks would come up at Tindivanam, Theni, and Manapparai in Tiruchi district of Tamil Nadu.

The government will encourage the production of jaggery to benefit the sugar cane farmers. A special incentive of Rs 195 per metric tonne will be given to the sugar cane farmers and will benefit 1.2 lakh farmers.

The minister also allocated an amount of Rs 5 crore to desilt C and D canals in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Cuddalore districts.

To overcome the agriculture labour shortage, Rs 150 crore will be allocated using machinery. The state government will distribute 10 lakh palm seeds to increase the number of palm trees which is the state tree of Tamil Nadu.

The government will promote unseasonal tomato cultivation and for this, an amount of Rs 4 crore is allocated for the same. The agriculture minister said that Rs 3 crore will be allocated for turmeric and ginger cultivation.

To revive traditional country vegetable cultivation, Rs 2 crore will be allocated.

An amount of Rs 20 crore will be allocated to implement the alternate crop scheme to cultivate vegetables and fruits. The government will reopen the cooperative sugar mills, NPKR Ramasamy coop sugar mill at Myalauduthurai which is now defunct.

Special zones for cultivation of tur dal will be set up in Salem and Krishnagiri districts.

The minister said that an amount of Rs 5 crore will be allocated to provide an additional 20 per cent subsidy to the SC/ST farmers.

Tarpaulins will be given to 60,000 farmers to safeguard their crops from rains and a new mobile app will be developed to provide all the required necessary information of farmers.

Soil testing centres will be established at the cost of Rs 75 lakh at Myladuthurai.