CAG report blames TN Horticulture Department

Chennai, May 16 (UNI) The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has blamed the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department for not giving thrust to expansion of cropping areas especially in the districts of the Cauvery delta in the state.

According to the report of the CAG, crop productivity suffered due to delay in supply of seeds and planting material. Inferior planting materials produced by private nurseries and non-multiplication of seeds developed by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University for supply to farmers were also shown as causes behind poor crop productivity.

The report further revealed that the development of horticulture in the state also suffered due to flaws in the implementation of Hill Area Development Project and non-implementation of Tamil Nadu Horticulture Mission.

Farmers with a minimum land holding of one hectare were only covered under Tamil Nadu Precision Farming Project implemented in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts, though 70 per cent of the farmers in these districts hold less than one hectare of land. Thus they were deprived of the benefits of the project, the report added.

UNI