Delay in Appointing Agriculture Secretary Betrays Farmers, Says Udhayanidhi
He questioned how the administration could justify leaving such a critical sector, which operates with its own separate agricultural budget, under a temporary arrangement without a dedicated full-time official
CHENNAI: Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin has condemned the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government over its failure to appoint a full-time secretary for the department of agriculture and farmers' welfare, accusing the administration of gross negligence toward the agrarian community.
In a press statement the DMK leader pointed out that nearly a month has passed since the transfer of former secretary Shankar, to the post of Commissioner of Archaeology, yet the state government has failed to designate a permanent administrative head. He questioned how the administration could justify leaving such a critical sector, which operates with its own separate agricultural budget, under a temporary arrangement without a dedicated full-time official.
He emphasized that with the monsoon season fast approaching, the agriculture department urgently demands stable leadership, seamless coordination, and swift policy decisions that directly impact farming families across districts. Instead of addressing this critical administrative vacuum, he alleged that both the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and the Agriculture Minister remain engrossed in unrelated political matters.
He further asserted that farmers across Tamil Nadu have already been pushed into severe distress due to irregularities in crop loan waivers, adverse climate impacts during the Kuruvai season, and poor planning by the government that is now damaging the ongoing Samba cultivation cycle.