Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R. Vinoth to Present TVK Government's First Agriculture Budget Today

Tamil Nadu Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister R. Vinoth is set to present the states Agriculture Budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday. The presentation comes a day after Finance Minister Marie Wilson unveiled the states overall Budget for the upcoming fiscal. The Agriculture Budget is expected to build on the governments recent initiatives aimed at strengthening the farming sector and improving the welfare of cultivators across the state.

On May 25, Chief Minister Vijay announced a crop loan waiver of up to Rs 50,000 for marginal farmers who had borrowed from cooperative banks. In addition, larger farmers who had taken crop loans through the same institutions were promised financial assistance of Rs 5,000, providing relief to thousands of farming families. A day before the Agriculture Budget, Finance Minister Marie Wilson outlined the governments broader economic vision while presenting the 2026-27 State Budget. He said the administration is targeting the transformation of Tamil Nadu into a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2031 through sustained investments and inclusive development.

During his speech, Wilson praised Chief Minister Vijays leadership, stating that his decision to enter public service was guided by a commitment to public welfare. He also highlighted the governments progress, saying it has delivered on key promises while continuing to focus on social justice and equitable growth. Education emerged as one of the major focus areas in the Budget. The government allocated Rs 300 crore to upgrade 3,734 government schools, while Rs 139 crore was earmarked under the first phase of the Super Clean, Super Campus initiative to improve sanitation, drinking water facilities and toilet maintenance in 10,000 schools.

The Finance Minister also renewed the states appeal to the Centre to restore medical admissions based on Class 12 board examination marks. Another major announcement was the launch of the Vetri Laptop Scheme, which aims to provide laptops to college students to promote digital education. The School Education Department received an allocation of Rs 44,527 crore, while Rs 8,393 crore was set aside for the Higher Education Department.

Among other education-related initiatives, the government proposed setting up residential institutions under the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Model Schools programme with an initial outlay of Rs 125 crore. These schools will offer free education, hostel facilities and healthcare services to students studying in Classes IX to XII. The Budget also included plans to establish a Special Law College in Madurai and five new Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across Tamil Nadu, with an estimated investment of Rs 90 crore.

On the financial front, Wilson noted that the states liabilities had doubled over the past five years. He said the government has introduced a more transparent tendering process to improve accountability and efficiency in awarding public contracts. To boost revenue, the Budget proposed a special levy on liquor manufacturing units, which is expected to generate approximately Rs 1,000 crore in additional income. The Finance Minister further assured that the government would continue implementing flagship welfare measures, including 200 units of free electricity for eligible households and a specialised rapid response force for womens safety, while fulfilling its election promises in a phased manner.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.