TN govt denies there is drought, says situation under watch

Tamil Nadu Revenue Minister R B Udhaya Kumar today informed the state Assembly that there is no drought in the state and that the situation is being closely monitored.
"Do not try to record (in the House) something which does not prevail. The situation is being closely monitored," he said while intervening during CPI(M) MLA K Balakrishnan's speech.
Participating in a debate on demands for grants for the Agriculture department, the CPM legislator urged the government to provide relief to ryots as in previous years.
He also pointed out that the Mettur Dam had not been opened (for irrigation).
To this, Udhaya Kumar said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had given comprehensive and adequate relief during the previous year to protect the interests of ryots. "A situation warranting providing compensation does not arise."

Later, replying to CPI legislator S Gunasekaran, Agriculture Minister Agri S S Krishnamurthy said a policy on organic farming was being formulated.

The Minister announced that cultivation of Bellary onion would be encouraged in 5,000 acres to meet Tamil Nadu's demand within the state and Rs 2.40 crore would be allocated for the purpose.
A lemon research station in Tirunelveli District at a cost of Rs four crore, setting up new horticulture tissue centres and refurbishment of five existing ones at a cost of Rs 4.30 crore and a horticulture gene bank at Karumanthurai were among the other announcements he made.

Renovating 1,000 rain water harvesting structures at a cost of Rs three crore, setting up 18 centres to provide farm equipment on rent for cane cultivation at a cost of Rs 9.98 crore, two horticulture centres of excellence at a cost of Rs nine crore also featured in the initiatives that will be pursued in this fiscal by the agriculture department.