Rs. 1,947 Crore Desalination Projects in Ramanad, Thoothukudi.

Encouraged by the success of desalination plants in Chennai, two more such projects of 60 MLD each would be taken up in 2015-2016 at Kuthiraivaimozhi and Alalnthalai respectively in Ramanathapuram and Thoothukudi Districts at a total cost of Rs. 1,947 crore.

Announcing this in the budget, Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, said the two projects would benefit 10.25 lakh people and the industries in those areas.

To meet the growing requirement of potable drinking water for Chennai Metropolitan Area, steps are being taken for a desalination plant of 150 MLD at Nemmeli for Rs. 1,371.86 crore during 2015-2016.

In order to foster innovation, the Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiatives (TANII) had been taken up by the State Planning Commission with an annual allocation of Rs. 150 crore. The first tranche of 32 projects with an outlay of

Rs. 84.85 crore had been approved. 'This Government also proposes to establish a Data Analytics Unit as a collaboration between Department of Economics and Statistics and the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency to analyse, in real time, the large volume of data available with the Government to enable improved policy making for better service delivery. Tamil Nadu will be the first State to establish such a unit', he announced.

Micro Irrigation

Promotion of micro-irrigation and increased water use efficiency has been a priority. Though the Centre provides only 25 to 50 per cent subsidy, the State Government is extending 100 per cent subsidy to small and marginal farmers and 75 per cent subsidy to other farmers for taking up micro-irrigation works.

Stating that during the last four years, 3.06 lakh acres had been covered under micro-irrigation with an outlay of Rs. 605.25 crore, the Chief Minister said efficient use of water would be vigorously promoted by bringing an additional area of 1.2 lakh acres with earmarking Rs. 200 crore in the coming financial year.

Panneerselvam said steps would be taken for establishing integrated production cum cold chain infrastructure facilities for banana in Tirunelveli and Tiruchirappalli, mango in Krishnagiri and Theni, tomato in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, onion in Dindigul and Tiruchirappalli, chillies in Ramanathapuram and Thoothukudi.


THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS