CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has been chosen for the Centre’s Krishi Karman award for the fifth time since 2011. The award for 2017-18, to be given in the category of oilseeds, carries a trophy, citation and Rs 2 crore in cash.
It is to be noted that during the past eight years, the AIADMK regime has bagged this award five times.
The Union Agriculture department, in its communication, has congratulated the State government on its dedicated efforts to extend technological inputs and services to farmers.
Agriculture Minister R Doraikkanu, Agriculture Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi and department Director V Dakshinamoorthy showed the award communique from the Centre to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday.
An official release here said the award was given to Tamil Nadu in the past years under different categories: 2011-12 (foodgrain production - 101.52 tonnes), 2013-14 (pulses production - 6.4 tonnes), 2014-15 (millets production - 40.79 lakh tonnes) and 2015-16 (foodgrain production). Despite severe drought condition, owing to consistent efforts, Tamil Nadu achieved 107.133 lakh tonnes of foodgrains during 2017-18. Particularly, 10.382 lakh tonnes of oilseeds have been produced; that is, the production has gone up per hectare by 2,729 kg, said the release.
The Union Agriculture department has also decided to honour two progressive farmers — one male and one female — with Agriculture Minister’s Krishi Karman Award for Progressive Farmers cultivating oilseed crops.
‘Dedicated efforts’
The Union Agriculture department, in its communication, has congratulated the State on its dedicated efforts to extend technological inputs to farmers