Tamil Nadu identifies 12 districts at high risk from El Niño
Twelve districts in Tamil Nadu are expected to face the worst impact of a forecast super El Niño event, prompting the state government to activate contingency measures and roll out a series of farmer-focused initiatives, Agriculture Minister R Vinoth said while presenting the state's agriculture budget on Thursday, Aug 6th.
He told the Assembly that the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) had prepared district-specific contingency plans, which have already been shared with district collectors for implementation. The measures are aimed at reducing the impact of the weather phenomenon, particularly during the Kuruvai cultivation season.
The minister said the government would continue existing farm welfare schemes while introducing new initiatives based on consultations with stakeholders.
As part of the budget, the government will establish eight Integrated Agricultural Extension Centres with 300-metric tonne storage facilities in Tiruvannamalai, Katpadi, Gudiyatham, Musiri, Narikudi, Bodinayakanur, Kayathar and Thondamuthur. The centres will be built at a cost of Rs 27.82 crore with support from state and Union funds.
To reduce post-harvest losses, the government will distribute tarpaulins to 43,500 farmers during 2026-27 at a cost of Rs 10 crore.
The budget also introduces state-level crop yield competitions named after Makkal Sevagar Anjalai Ammal, with cash prizes of Rs 2.5 lakh, Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh for the top performers across 10 crop categories.
To promote organic farming, five farmers will receive the Nammazhvar Award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh and a certificate of appreciation.
The minister's speech briefly triggered protests from the Opposition DMK after he praised Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. Speaker J C D Prabhakar intervened and asked Vinoth to confine his remarks to the agriculture budget.
(With inputs from PTI)
