Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated a scheme here on Thursday to provide 50,000 more free agriculture electricity connections to farmers.
Stalin, inaugurating the three-day 'Velan Sangamam 2023,' a farm expo, gave away awards to farmers who excelled in cultivation of traditional paddy varieties.
The Chief Minister announced extension of deadline for farmers till August 15 to avail the Rs 75 crore Kuruvai (short-term crop) Special Package Scheme which, among other aspects, covers free of cost distribution of urea and potash.
He said in the past two years, 1.50 lakh new farm power connections have been provided to farmers to facilitate extension of area under cultivation using ground water resources.
"In continuation of that achievement, 50,000 more new farm-electricity connections are now given."
Stalin gave away the orders allotting new connections to 12 farmers, marking the launch of the scheme to provide 50,000 new agriculture-electricity connections. The farm connections are provided free of cost to farmers.
The Chief Minister, without naming the previous AIADMK regime, said only 2.20 lakh farm power connections were provided to farmers during its 10 year rule (2011-21) in Tamil Nadu.
Stalin said it was late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi who launched in 1990 the free electricity scheme for farmers.
In a first in the nation, in order to ensure welfare schemes reached the intended beneficiaries, a dedicated website with all data on farmers (GRAINS--Grower Online Registration of Agriculture Input System) has been developed, he said.
"Farmers and officials should know technology and farming respectively," he said adding when technology and agriculture were integrated, farming would become a commercial enterprise and expo such as these would pave the for it.
Stalin said after six years, during 2021-22, a record 119.97 lakh tonne of production of food grains was achieved. The Kuruvai crop cultivation in 5.36 lakh acres in Cauvery delta districts was a remarkable achievement, unseen in about 47 years as water was released from Mettur dam in advance in 2022.
The expo is being held under the auspices of the Tamil Nadu Agriculture-Farmers Welfare Department.
Government departments including agriculture and fisheries and stateentral bodies, private organisations with links to farming besides educational institutions are taking part in the event.
Ministers including M R K Panneerselvam (Agriculture) and K N Nehru (Municipal Administration) and state officials participated.
-With PTI Input
