Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Agriculture Budget 2026–27 Key Highlights

• Foodgrain Production Target: The State set a target to produce 131 lakh tonnes of foodgrain over the next 5 years, with a target of 125 lakh tonnes for FY 2026–27.
• 100% Crop Insurance Coverage: The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) will cover all notified crops across 14 clusters in all 37 districts for Kuruvai, Samba, and Rabi seasons with a State allocation of ₹648.55 crore, covering 36 lakh acres and 15 lakh farmers.
• Tamil Nadu Soil Fertility Mission: A 5-year mission launched at a total outlay of ₹600 crore (₹122 crore allocated this year) to improve soil organic carbon, reclaim alkaline/saline soils, reduce chemical fertilizers, and promote organic farming. Includes issuing Soil Health Cards to 1 lakh farmers (₹4 crore) and 3 lakh farmers with Farmer IDs (₹6.16 crore).
• Price Support Scheme for Perishables: Introduction of a Price Support Scheme for tomatoes and onions modelled on the Union government’s Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for mangoes. Creation of a Market Intervention Scheme – Price Stabilisation Revolving Fund (MIS-PSRF) with ₹4.26 crore.
• Green Manure & Soil Enhancement: Allocation of ₹63.5 crore to distribute Sunn Hemp, Daincha, and Kolinji seeds across 1 lakh acres, plus multi-grain seeds across 22,000 acres.
• Super El Niño Contingency Plan: TNAU-developed District Agricultural Contingency Plans deployed to mitigate severe climate impacts anticipated in 12 vulnerable districts.
• Home Gardening & Storage Schemes:
  • Vetri Illatharasi Veetu Thottam Scheme: Launched to promote home gardening via grow-bag kits and hydroponic systems.
  • Onion Storage Facilities: Creation of 57,000-tonne capacity onion storage infrastructure.

National

Central Policies

• GOBARdhan Scheme Approval: Union Cabinet approved the National Circular Bioenergy Scheme – GOBARdhan to raise domestic Compressed Biogas (CBG) production 10-fold (expanding from 300 to 5,000 operating plants).
• National Handloom Day: Observed annually on August 7, commemorating the launch of the Swadeshi Movement on August 7, 1905.

National Economy, Banking

• Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill: Passed by Lok Sabha; removes the statutory linkage between the Payment and Settlement Systems Act and the Income Tax Act, providing a legal framework that allows merchant discount charges on UPI transactions while fostering domestic electronics manufacturing.
• RBI Scale-Based Regulation for NBFCs: RBI identified 17 large Non-Banking Financial Companies under the Upper Layer (NBFC-UL) category for FY 2026–27 (including Tata Sons), subjecting them to enhanced regulatory norms and mandatory public listing within 3 years.

Archaeology

• Hoysala Dynasty Inscription Discovery: A centuries-old veeragallu (hero stone) unearthed at Neeragunda (Arsikere taluk, Karnataka) with a Kannada inscription dated December 11, 1141 AD, resolving historical confusion regarding the exact date of death of Hoysala ruler Vishnuvardhana (who died at Bankapura).