Separate agriculture budget 2024-25 presented in Tamil Nadu Assembly
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, MRK Panneerselvam on Tuesday presented the agriculture budget for 2024-25 in the Assembly and announced new initiatives, including those aimed at improving soil fertility.
In his budget speech, the Minister said the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers, herbicides, and pesticides, has led to a decline in overall soil fertility.
Recognising the imperative to shift towards sustainable and chemical-free agricultural practices for the well-being of society, he said a new flagship scheme the 'Chief Minister's Mannuyir Kaathu Mannuyir Kaappom Scheme' (CM MK MKS--CM's scheme to protect soil fertility) with '22 components' will be implemented at an outlay of Rs 206 crore during the year 2024-2025.
Steps to reduce chemical fertilisers in paddy crop, measures to nurture villages to help them tackle climate change were among the announcements the Minister made in the House.
Also, Panneerselvam announced seed distribution to encourage traditional paddy varieties that could help fight against diabetes.
Also he set apart Rs 65.30 crore for millet crops, the purposes include optimising yield.
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Bengaluru resident booked for obstructing, verbally abusing female officials engaged in census work
Bengaluru (PTI): An FIR was registered on Saturday against a resident here for allegedly obstructing and verbally abusing female officials engaged in the National Census-2027 work, police said.
The incident took place between April 20 and April 25 within Ward No 43 in R T Nagar area, they said.
According to the complaint lodged by Lokesh S P, Census Charge Officer for Bengaluru North City Corporation, on April 20, Veena, an enumerator assigned to Ward No 43, visited an apartment within the Corporation limits to collect census information. However, the concerned resident refused to provide the required details.
Subsequently, on April 25, during verification, Rashmi R, Supervisor (Circle-2), visited the location and sought the necessary census information.
The resident not only refused to cooperate but also obstructed the census work and verbally abused the female staff using inappropriate language, the complaint alleged.
Based on the complaint by Lokesh, a case was registered against the resident concerned under sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 223 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions), and 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said, adding that further investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Bengaluru North City Corporation Commissioner Pommala Sunil Kumar emphasised that Census work is a matter of national importance, and obstructing officials in the discharge of their duties is a punishable offence.
He warned that strict legal action will be taken against such acts and appealed to the public to cooperate with enumerators and provide accurate information, as it is the legal duty of every citizen.
