Chennai, May 18 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday reported substantial progress in agriculture, animal husbandry, dairying, and fisheries, attributing the achievements to the Dravidian Model of governance and targeted policy interventions under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s leadership.

In an official release, the state government stated that foodgrain production had reached 457.08 lakh metric tonnes, while agricultural growth rose to an average of 5.66 per cent between 2021 and 2024, marking a significant improvement over the 1.36 per cent growth recorded during the previous AIADMK regime.

Highlighting its commitment to the agricultural sector, the government noted that it had presented five consecutive agriculture-specific budgets for the first time in the state’s history.

These budgets allocated a cumulative outlay of Rs 1.94 lakh crore, enabling a wide range of initiatives such as reclaiming 47,286 acres of fallow land across more than 10,000 village panchayats and distributing mechanised equipment to over 62,000 farmers.

Irrigation infrastructure also witnessed major enhancements. The irrigated area expanded by 2.26 lakh hectares, with 5,427 km of canals and 8,540 small ponds dredged. Additionally, 917 irrigation lakes and 814 minor lakes were renovated to improve water storage and distribution, directly benefiting over 2.10 lakh farmers.

In the dairy sector, milk production increased to 10,808 metric tonnes in 2023–24, while egg production hit a record 2,233 crore, reflecting strong support for livestock and poultry farmers. The fisheries sector saw a boost with the construction of 72 modern fish landing centres at an investment of Rs 1,428 crore, aimed at enhancing infrastructure and income for coastal communities.

“With Tamil Nadu leading the nation in the productivity of several crops and continuing to modernise rural infrastructure, the government reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive and sustainable development,” the statement read. “The Dravidian Model is proving to be a transformative force in rural progress.”

–IANS

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