Farmers, fishers may get sops in Tamil Nadu budget

Chennai: The ruling AIADMK government is likely to pamper farmers and fishermen through welfare and populist schemes  in the ensuing state budget. Both the sectors will get a lion share of the March 16 budget when it is tabled, an informed source in the budget preparation told Deccan Chronicle.

Finance minister D. Jayakumar, who also holds fisheries portfolio, has asked officials to incorporate schemes for drought-hit delta region and districts with farming activities. He has also suggested livelihood improvement schemes for fishermen and those into marine product business.

Admitting that the state has a debt mounting over Rs 2 lakh crore, the source said that the government always has preferences in allocating the funds.

The office of the chief minister and the finance minister are on the same page and they are aware that TN farmers and fishermen in the state are under financial stress due to drought and demonetisation, the source said adding that the present allocation for both the sectors is likely to reach an all-time high. A few aspects of the recent drought report compiled by the revenue administration department which sought Rs 39,000 crore from Centre as drought relief will also reflected in the state budget.

During the previous AIADMK regime, a similar effort was made allocating more than Rs 600 crore for the provision of free livestock scheme and the project has been continuing.

Considering the livelihood and economic conditions of the fishermen of both marine and inland sector, the state had also announced construction of new houses for homeless fishermen and for farmers and dedicated scheme to promote farming in dry non-delta districts are also planned, secretariat sources added.