Chennai, Oct 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Tamil Nadu Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday urged the government to immediately appoint a full-time Agriculture Secretary, saying the absence of dedicated administrative leadership was deepening farmers’ concerns ahead of the rainy season.
In a statement, he said a month had passed since Shankar, IAS, who served as Secretary of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, was transferred as Commissioner of Archaeology. However, the government had yet to appoint a full-time successor, he said.
Udhayanidhi questioned how the government could justify leaving a crucial department without a dedicated secretary, particularly when agriculture had a separate budget. He said the vacancy raised serious questions about the administration’s commitment to farmers’ welfare.
With the monsoon approaching, the agriculture sector required stable leadership and swift coordination, he said.
A full-time secretary was essential to ensure that decisions affecting farmers were taken promptly and agricultural operations were continuously monitored at the district level. He alleged that the Agriculture Minister and Chief Minister, who should have addressed the issue, were occupied with “other work”.
Criticising the ruling TVK government, Udhayanidhi alleged that it had failed to honour its promise on crop loan waivers after assuming office. He also accused the administration of poorly planned measures that had aggravated difficulties facing samba cultivation amid disruptions caused by natural calamities.
Farmers across Tamil Nadu were struggling with successive disappointments, he said, citing protests over irrigation shortages and demands for loan relief.
According to his statement, farmers blocked a road in Muthupettai on Monday, complaining that irrigation water had not reached tail-end areas. Farmers also entered Veeranam Lake in protest, demanding the release of water for cultivation.
He said the Tamil Nadu farmers’ union had announced plans to lay siege to the Secretariat in Chennai on October 14, demanding a complete waiver of crop loans as promised in the election manifesto.
Udhayanidhi said these circumstances warranted the appointment of an experienced senior IAS officer to lead the department and coordinate measures to ease farmers’ distress. Instead, he alleged, the department was struggling with an “inactive minister and an absent secretary”, reflecting the government’s lack of concern for the farming community.
He appealed to the government to end the delay and urgently appoint a full-time Agriculture Secretary to safeguard farming and address farmers’ grievances through timely decisions and coordinated action
Source: IANS
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