Despite opposition, TN govt to use students for digital crop survey

CHENNAI: Despite widespread opposition, the State government has decided to resume its digital crop survey using agriculture college students and faculties, after a brief halt.

The decision to resume was taken in a review meeting, which was chaired by the State Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare department, MRK Panneerselvam in the Secretariat on Tuesday. The survey was halted as parties including the principal opposition AIADMK objected to it saying it is ideally executed by Revenue Department officials and not students.

"So far, more than 2.5 crore lands have been surveyed. Hundred per cent of the crops cultivated in the current Rabi season will be surveyed soon," an official release from the state government read.

The survey, which began on November 6, aims to capture details of crops cultivated in the State using a mobile-based application developed by the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA) under the Union government's Agri Stack project.

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The opposition parties condemned the survey, citing incidents such as a girl student suffering a snake bite and a gang associated with a stone quarry assaulting students and agriculture officers.

However, the state government justified the move, stating that the survey benefits students through hands-on learning experience. "Students are participating in the digital crop survey with great enthusiasm. Officials from the Agriculture Department and the faculties from agricultural colleges are providing them with technical assistance, who are aoaccompanying them," the government said.

Agricultural Production Commissioner and principal secretary Apoorva and other officials were present in the review meeting.