Anbumani Ramadoss slams Tamil Nadu agriculture budget for cutting farm funds

PMK chief Anbumani Ramadoss criticized Tamil Nadu's first agriculture budget under the new TVK government, calling it a disappointment that reduces farm allocations and ignores election promises. Agriculture department funding dropped by Rs. 470.92 crore to Rs. 14,696.70 crore, he said. He argued the headline increase stemmed from rural development funding for a new 125-day work scheme; excluding it, the budget total is Rs. 648 crore below the interim budget. PMK fought 13 years for a separate farm budget and wants 25% of the total outlay; Ramadoss said promised paddy and sugarcane price hikes were absent, with many schemes merely extending DMK-era programs.