A political exchange erupted on Monday between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over allegations related to the Centre’s communication on state bonus policies for farmers.
Stalin alleged that the Union government had written to Tamil Nadu suggesting a review of its existing bonus scheme for paddy and advising that it be discontinued. He questioned the interpretation of the letter and asked whether the Centre would make it public, asserting that it explicitly referred to the state’s additional paddy bonus and its impact on production.
Responding on social media platform X, Sitharaman rejected the charge, calling it “factually baseless” and “politically motivated.” She said the communication cited by the Chief Minister was not a directive to Tamil Nadu alone but an advisory issued to all state Chief Secretaries.
According to her, the January 9, 2026 letter from the Department of Expenditure asked states to align their bonus policies with national agricultural priorities, particularly to encourage the cultivation of pulses, oilseeds and millets in the interest of nutritional security, self-reliance, and sustainable farming.
She emphasised that the letter was intended to promote policy convergence rather than impose restrictions, and that decisions on bonus payments above the Minimum Support Price remained within the discretion of state governments.
Sitharaman also criticised the Chief Minister’s interpretation of the communication, arguing that it misrepresented the intent of the Centre. She said any attempt to portray the advisory as an imposition was a distortion of facts and reaffirmed that the Centre and states share responsibility in aligning agricultural policies for broader national objectives.
The exchange highlights ongoing political friction over farm policy and Centre–state relations in Tamil Nadu.
(With inputs from PTI)