CHENNAI: Pointing out that the discrepancies in the figures of rice production during 2013-14 and 2014-15 put out by the State government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) were only because of the Centre’s modified method of calculation of the agricultural production, Tamil Nadu government on Friday asserted that the figures issued by it were factual as they were compiled, following due procedures in the presence of the representatives from different departments of the State and the Centre.
In a statement issued here, the government said it was not fair to compare the statistics provided by the State government and the RBI because the central bank was relying on the data furnished by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and moderated it, taking into various factors.
“Since the rice production is being calculated in the presence of officers of the Department of Statistics, Revenue and Agriculture and the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), the data disseminated by the State only is factual,” the release said.
It noted that the discrepancies surfaced between the data of the State and the Centre only after the Centre started adopting a new approach since 2013-14.
Despite the fact that the Centre’s figures on the rice production in TN were lesser than the State’s figures during 2013-14 and 2014-15, the Union government’s calculation for 2015-16 was higher by six lakh tons.
Tamil Nadu could register better rice production even during the time of agricultural stress because of its initiatives to give a leg up to the agricultural sector.
The release said the government had no necessity to inflate the production figures to divert the attention of the people as stated in the news report and the statement of the Leader of Opposition (MK Stalin).
As per the data of the Tamil Nadu government, the rice production for 2013-14 was 71.15 lakh tons while it stood at 79.49 lakh tons in 2014-15.