In view of poor storage of water in Mettur dam, the Chief Minister on 12.06.2017, announced the “Kuruvai Cultivation Package 2017” in delta districts at an outlay of `56.92 crore, with an objective to protect the welfare of the delta farmers and to encourage the farmers to take up Kuruvai cultivation with focus on pulse crop utilizing the ground water in delta districts.  Due to implementation of this package, an area of 2.73 lakh acres of paddy and 0.683 lakh acres of pulses was covered, in delta region.

Further, the CM has announced Samba package 2017 with a budget outlay of Rs 41.15 crore on 28.09.2017 when announcement was made for the Mettur dam opening on 02.10.2017 to protect the welfare of the farmers by giving priority to direct sowing utilizing the rainfall received in delta districts. Due to this package, 2,51,534 farmers were benefited and paddy coverage touched an area of 10.685 lakh acre.

For improvement of pulses, more focus was given by state government. An area of 19.40 lakh acres under pulses crop was achieved during 2016-2017 by implementing cluster demonstration of pulses and awareness Campaign under pulses development programme. An amount of `74.73 crore has been spent for seed production and seed distribution, distribution of implements, important inputs such as MN mixture, gypsum and PP chemicals at subsidised cost.

Tamil Nadu has experienced an unprecedented drought in 2016, state government has taken sincere efforts to bring more farmers under crop insurance cover for compensating the yield loss.
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Due to the steps taken by the government, an area of 31.85 lakh acre was insured and 15.37 lakh farmers have been enrolled. A sum of `565 crore was released to the insurance companies as the State share of premium subsidy. So far, an amount of `3,020 crore has been sanctioned to more than 9 lakh farmers as compensation claims and a sum of Rs 2,512 crore has been credited to 7.49 lakh farmers account. The state government is continuously following with insurance companies and bankers for crediting the balance compensation.

During the year 2017-2018 under the “Mission Soil Health Card” scheme, so far 6.51 lakh soil samples have been collected and 5.53 lakh samples analysed and 5.23 lakh soil health cards were distributed to the farmers, for soil test based application of fertilizers.

For promotion of integrated farming system among farmers, inputs were distributed in 13,550 hectare to encourage two crop sequences. Milch animals and small ruminants are being distributed. 453 permanent and 500 temporary Vermi compost units were established utilising Rs 15.88 crore.

Paramparaghat Krishi Vikas Yojana is being implemented as a three year continuous scheme in 10 districts covering 4,646 acres in cluster approach.

With an aim to improve area under cotton, the Tamil Nadu Cotton Cultivation mission (TNCCM) is being implemented in the year 2017-2018.

With an objective to enhance the sugarcane productivity, Sustainable Sugarcane Initiatives (SSI) is programmed to a target of 16000 hectare at a financial outlay of  `30 crore during 2017-2018.

Seeds and other inputs have been distributed at 50% subsidy to farmers to sustain the yield in the dry land area. A total sum of `50 crore was allotted for 5 lakh acres in the first year. So far, 4,53,926 acres of dry land area has been sown under millets, pulses, oil seeds and cotton during this year.

For reduced use of pesticides, the government is giving emphasis for adoption of Integrated Pest Management practices. As a part of this intiative 20,000 Portable Solar Power Light Traps are being distributed at 50% subsidy for an outlay of `4 crore during 2017-2018.  

For judicious use of water, Micro Irrigation (MI) scheme is being promoted for which 100% subsidy is extended to Small/Marginal farmers and 75% subsidy to Other farmers. In the year 2017-2018, Micro Irrigation is implemented in 3 lakh acres at an outlay of `804 crore. So far 2.23 lakh acres have been registered and the installation is in progress.

For Modernization of state horticulture farms, works such as face lifting of parks, Center of Excellence for cut flowers and vegetables are in progress. Infrastructure facilities for seed production in 19 state horticulture Farms are being carried out at an outlay of Rs 2,076.57 lakh.

As special livelihood package was announced by the CM on 11.12.2017 to provide relief and recultivation assistance to the “Ockhi Cyclone” hit Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi Districts farmers. Accordingly, the assistance for the Banana cultivated farmers is Rs 48,500 to 63,500 per hectare, for Rubber tree cultivated farmers assistance is Rs 1 lakh per hectare and for Clove cultivated farmers the assistance is Rs 28,000 per hectare.  

l Through Regulated Markets, 19.86 lakh MT of agricultural produce were sold by farmers and `100.54 crore was collected as revenue from traders.

l To prevent post harvest losses and for value addition a mega project “Supply Chain Management of Fruits, Vegetables and Other Perishables” is being implemented in 10 Districts under WIF scheme at a cost of `398.75 Crore. Civil works for Primary Processing Centres and Main Markets at an estimated cost of Rs 253.66 crore are under progress.

The state government aims to promote farm mechanization to minimize the problems due to shortage of labourers and to enable the farmers to take up timely agricultural practices. So far, 4,375 numbers of agricultural machinery and implements were distributed to farmers with a subsidy assistance `32 crore.

Infrastructure facilities
For infrastructure facilities at 7 Agricultural Colleges and 3 Research stations under TNAU, an amount of `108.04 crore has been allocated.
Establishment of Mango Research Centre with a sanctioned amount of `2 crore at Paiyur in Krishnagiri District.

Ranking
During the year 2016, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University was ranked 40th position  and 7th  Position in the year 2017 among the all Universities across India besides 20th  position under the category Teaching and Learning resources in the year 2016 and 5th  Position in the year 2017  by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Animal husbandry, dairying & fisheries department

Free Distribution of Milch Cows / Goats / Sheep Scheme:
The free distribution of milch cows scheme is being implemented in 21 Districts at a financial allocation of Rs 49.832 crore. During the current year, so far, a total of 8,417 beneficiaries have been provided with 8,417 milch cows at the rate of one cow/ beneficiary.

Further, the free distribution of goats/sheep scheme is being implemented in 31Districts at a financial allocation of Rs 198.75 crore. During the current year, so far, a total of 97,473 beneficiaries have been provided with 3,89,892 goats / sheep at the rate of four goats/sheep per beneficiary.

Scheme for Poultry Development
The Scheme is implemented with a view to improve the rural economy by increasing the percapita income in rural areas. Financial Sanction for a sum of Rs 18.75 crore has been accorded for the Scheme.

State  Fodder Development Scheme
l A total sum of `25 crore has been sanctioned and Rs 18.75 crore was received under this Scheme a total of 7,170 acres of farmers own lands have been brought under green fodder cultivation, resulting in a production of 20.038 lakh metric tonnes of fodder.

Infrastructure Improvement Programme
l In order to improve the infrastructure in the Department, a total of 150 Veterinary Institutions are being newly constructed under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund XXIII of NABARD at a financial allocation of Rs 49.09 crore. Urther, under NABARD RIDF XXII, a total of 127 veterinary Institutions are under construction at a financial allocation of Rs 34.63 crore. Besides these, financial sanction of Rs 1.6 crore has also been accorded for the construction of an integrated office Complex for the Joint Director and Assistant Director's offices at Kancheepuram.

Milk Procurement Achievement
Milk procurement during February 2017 has been increased by 22% from 25.40 LLPD to 31.04 LLPD during November 2017. The highest procurement was achieved by Aavin on 21.09.2017, with an all time high of 33.01 LLPD.

Milk Sales Achievement
Milk sales has increased by 4.76% from 21.02 LLPD in February 2017 to 22.02 LLPD in November 2017.  

The highest sale of 12.30 lakh Litres in Chennai Metro was achieved on 29.09.2017.  Similarly highest sales of 10.32 lakh Litres was achieved on 03.09.2017 in the District unions.  As per the announcement made by the Hon'ble Minister for Milk and Dairy Development Department for 2017-2018, the sale of 225 ml milk sachets at `10/- was launched on 08.09.2017.

Sales of Milk Products
The sales revenue of By-products was `20.43 crore in February 2017. Aavin has created history by achieving Rs 24.44 crore in November 2017, with 20% increase. Aavin has introduced revenue earning products like 500 ml Curd sachet, 1000ml bucket Curd, Rasagulla and 4 varieties of ice creams.

Export of Milk Products
l In order to launch Aavin milk products in foreign countries, for the first time in the history of Aavin, the sale of tetra pack milk with helicap was launched in Singapore on 25.11.2017.

Fishermen Welfare
The Government has enhanced the fishing ban period relief assistance from Rs 2,000/- to Rs 5,000/- to each marine fisherman families and disbursed a sum of  `79.75 crore to 1,59,506 fishermen families of 13 coastal Districts.  

Ockhi cyclone - Relief activities
The severe cyclonic storm "Ockhi" hit the Kanniyakumari coast on 30.11.2017. The Government has sanctioned a sum of `2.20 crore towards providing diesel for bringing back the 217 fishing boats and to meet out the ration expenses 1,754 fishermen.
     
TAMIL NADU FISHERIES UNIVERSITY, Nagapattinam
l New Fisheries College and Research Institute has been started at Thalainayeru with the budget of Rs 68.1678 crore and the classes commenced on 12.10.2017 presently at TNFU main campus premises.

Setting a healthy political trend in Tamil Nadu, where the polity is deeply dominated by personality cult, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday received Opposition Leader M K Stalin at his chamber in the Secretariat. Stalin was being helpful towards the government to the extent of recommending a slew of steps to resolve the perennial crisis plaguing the transport sector.
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Such meetings are rare in Tamil Nadu politics in which the rivalry among the head of the ruling party and those of the main opposition parties would be so intense. In fact, Jayalalithaa and M. Karunanidhi, who alternatively ruled Tamil Nadu for a quarter of a century between 1991 and 2016 after Jaya became CM for the first time, never saw each other eye to eye. This is the first time that Stalin is meeting Palaniswami in his chamber while he has held discussions with the latter's predecessor O Panneerselvam when he was Chief Minister after J Jayalalithaa's death.

Armed with a report prepared by DMK leaders on how to reduce loses and restore the transport department to its old glory, Stalin led a delegation of senior leaders to Palaniswami and submitted the document to him. We will convene another all-party meeting and discuss our next course of action. The Chief Minister received the report, but he did not commit anything, Stalin was to say after the cordial enough meeting.
The DMK Working President has been opposing the recent hike in bus fares by the Tamil Nadu government and had even rallied the entire opposition to protest against the ruling party.

In the report submitted to Palaniswami, the DMK recommended removal of existing taxes on diesel like VAT and levy 10 per cent GST, which will result in an annual savings of Rs 1,600 crore for state-run transport corporations, revenue generation through advertisements and courier services by transport corporations, and attaching buses which ply beyond 200 kms to the State Express Transport Corporations.

The government should also upgrade its luxury buses on par with private bus operators who mint by flaunting their services and allot Rs 1,000 crore every year in the Budget for phasing out of old buses and replacing them with new hi-tech vehicles are some of the other recommendations made in the report.

A five-member panel headed by former Union Surface Transport and Shipping Minister T R Baalu prepared the report. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Stalin indicated that the government was non-committal on implementing recommendations made in his party’s report. The transport corporations suffer loses every day and have debts to the tune of `16,000 crore.

The unions say they will continue the strike and will justify their stand in the court on Monday. 

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar on Sunday separately appealed to the striking transport workers to resume duty heeding the Madras High Court’s direction as two persons were killed in separate accidents involving buses reportedly driven by drivers hired on a casual basis in Cuddalore and Chennai districts.
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However, the unions said they would continue the strike and justify their stand in the court on Monday.

In Virudhachalam, a temporary driver J. Elumalai, who was driving a bus from the TNSTC depot, rammed a motorcycle being driven by Seon Kumar, 37, with two pillion riders. Seon succumbed to injuries following which the police arrested Mr. Elumalai.

In Chennai, an 18-year-old youth — Joseph alias Ajit of Dooming Kuppam — was run over by an MTC bus when his bike skidded on the Santhome High Road. While it was claimed that the bus driver was hired on an ad hoc basis, the police did not confirm the same.

Meanwhile, ruling out further talks with the unions, Mr. Vijayabhaskar accused them, including the CITU, of misleading workers on the actual wage revision. Releasing the break-up of the revised wages that the government was willing to pay, he told journalists: “If all the workers come to know about these figures, they will return to work.”

Chennai: Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was on Tuesday remembered on her first death anniversary, with AIADMK veterans K Palanisamy and O Panneerselvam leading the party supporters in paying tributes to their 'Amma.'

Jayalalithaa is fondly addressed as 'Amma,' meaning mother in Tamil, by her supporters.

AIADMK Coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister, O Panneerselvam and party Co-Coordinator and Chief Minister, K Palanisamy led a silent procession of party workers from Anna Salai to Jayalalithaa's mausoleum on Marina beach in Chennai.
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Most of the party workers, including the two leaders and many other ministers, were clad in black shirts.
Scores of party supporters also turned up at the mausoleum to pay tributes to her.
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Jayalalithaa, admitted to a corporate hospital in Chennai in September 2016, breathed her last this day last year, after 75 days of hospitalisation.

Watch some popular interviews with Jayalalithaa -

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday reserved its order on an interim plea by Sasikala-TTV Dhinakaran group of AIADMK for using the 'hat' symbol in the upcoming RK Nagar assembly constituency bypoll.

Justice Indermeet Kaur heard arguments on behalf of the Sasikala-TTV Dhinakaran group, the poll panel and the faction of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy and O Panneerselvam and said it will pass an order at 4 pm on Monday.

The court also issued notice to the Election Commission of India, Panneerselvam, Palanisamy and two others on the Sasikala-Dhinakaran plea challenging the poll panel's November 23 order allotting the 'two-leaves' symbol to the Panneerselvam-Palanisamy faction.
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The main petition will be heard on February 12, the court said.

​Speaking about the sedition case filed against him, AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Wednesday reportedly said the police have filed a fake case against him. He also reportedly warned that he will take a legal action against the police over the issue. Mocking Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, Dhinakaran reportedly said Palaniswami will file a murder case against him stating he triggered mosquitoes to bite and spread Dengue.