The Puducherry government has proposed to provide financial assistance of ₹1,500 per hectare for farmers in Karaikal undertaking summer crop cultivation, in the wake of uncertainty in Cauvery water supply, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said on Monday.
According to the Budget for 2026-27 presented by him in the Assembly, agriculture in Karaikal is heavily dependent on Cauvery water, and farmers face severe hardships when water availability is uncertain during the summer months. To address, this the government proposes to provide a financial assistance of ₹1,500 per hectare. This will entail an annual expenditure of ₹1.13 crore.
An Integrated Centre of Excellence for Fruit and Vegetable Processing and a Custom Hiring Centre for Farm Machinery will be established at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute in Karaikal under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.
The government will also provide assistance for a turmeric processing unit under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture recognising the demand for organically-grown produce and processed foods in the Union Territory. Farmers will also be supported to purchase solar-powered crop dryers to reduce post-harvest losses and preserve agricultural produce.
Animal Husbandry
The government will provide milking machines to 150 beneficiaries at 100% subsidy at a total cost of ₹75 lakh to improve the quality of milk production and address the shortage of manpower.
Published – August 24, 2026 08:59 pm IST
