Even as the DMK regime in Tamil Nadu came out on February 20 with its fourth exclusive Budget for agriculture, the debate is on among policymakers, agriculturists, experts, and political figures about the efficacy of the exercise.
While proponents of the idea of a separate Budget highlight that the farm sector, as a whole, hogs the limelight, critics feel that core issues are yet to receive the attention that they deserve.
The concept of an agriculture Budget was one of the assurances of the ruling party at the time of the 2021 Assembly poll and this was fulfilled when the maiden Budget was presented that year. As is known, the Budget illustrates the government’s plans of allocations not just for the agriculture department but also for others that have a bearing on the farm sector. For example, the latest Budget talks of ₹16,500 crore as the target for the coming year’s short term crop loans, which are disbursed through primary agricultural cooperative credit societies (PACCS) that come under the direct ambit of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies in the Department of Cooperation. The proposed allocations of at least half a dozen departments that impact agriculture and farmers have also been presented in a concise manner.
