Govt taking various steps for developing agriculture sector: Official

NAGAPATTINAM: With a view to developing the farm sector, the Tamil Nadu government has been taking steps to introduce new techniques in the field of agriculture, Agricultural Department Secretary Surjit K Chaudhary said.

Speaking to reporters here yesterday, he said as an initial step towards developing the farm sector, the government made recruitments to the 5,633 vacant posts in the department and 2,239 persons were given promotion, while regularization in job was granted for another 1,083 persons.

In Tamil Nadu in all the Block Development offices under automation scheme, two computers with internet connection and two printers were provided and to guide the farmers a weather centre would also function in all the block offices.

For the implementation of the modern techniques in the cultivation of 'SRI paddy', the Centre had allotted Rs 868 crore to the State Government, he said.

A farmers' meeting held here had demanded that uninterrupted power and water supply be provided for cultivation.

Chaudhary said following complaints received from farmers that the cultivation of paddy under SRI scheme was not properly implemented in the delta areas, the Tamil Nadu government had deputed a panel of high level officers. This panel would personally verify the steps taken by agricultural department in the delta areas of Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur districts.