Chennai, June 27(BPNS)
The Pattali Makkal Katchi(PMK) has released a shadow agriculture budget for the state of Tamil Nadu for the year 2021-22 just like the previous years wherein it releases shadow budgets before the government present a budget in the assembly.
The founder president of the party, Dr.S. Ramadoss released the party’s 14th shadow agriculture budget on Sunday which is focusing on 75 specific areas and over 250 suggestions. The suggestions of the shadow budget are aimed to create and develop agriculture infrastructure and agriculture education infrastructure. The shadow budget also focuses to achieve an agriculture growth of 6% from negative growth in the past.
Dr.S. Ramadoss while speaking at the occasion said that the total amount allocated in the agriculture budget was 47,500 crores. He added, “We are happy and we welcome the Governor’s address which mentions that a specific agriculture budget will be allocated in the state.”
He said that the PMK has focused on 75 specific areas in the report. He adds,” Every year we give prominence for one aspect of agriculture, and this year we have focused on agriculture education.”
The PMK founder leader said that there was a need to create cold storage facilities to safeguard perishable products like vegetables, flowers, and fruits. He said that massive storage facilities must be created to store grains.
The report also mentions on linking of Godavari- Cauvery rivers, expanding the Cauvery- Gundaru river project, Athikadavu- Avinasi project, and allotment of Rs 1,00,000 crore worth water irrigation projects.
Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, son of Dr. S. Ramadoss and former Union Health Minister who is also the youth wing leader of the PMK said that the PMK has created the budget with the support and inputs of 100 serving bureaucrats of the state government.
He said ,” Tamil Nadu is a state which is second in the country as far as the production of vegetables is concerned but we export only1-2% of this product as we lack cold storage facilities. If we are in power we will create cold storage so that perishable products can be saved. To safeguard the grains produced, we will have to create massive cold storage. We need to create infrastructure for food processing, value- addition industries and transportation.”
The former union minister said, “The previous AIADMK government accepted our proposal of creating a ‘Protected Special Agricultural Zone’ in the Delta region”. He said “Former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced the Delta region as ‘Protected Special Agricultural Zone’ and the PMK extensively campaigned for this. It is a big achievement. Former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami waived farmer’s loans and we expect and hope that the DMK would also implement these ideas”.
He said that the PMK would function as a responsible opposition party and added that the party would welcome the government if they implement good schemes and oppose the Government if they pursue wrong policies.
