TAMILNADU

Cooptex, the states own handloom brand, is all set to promote the use of organic fabric in kidswear. The department is in the process of getting certification for the new range of organic fabric, which would soon hit the market.

Known for its range of handloom saris, Cooptex has been catering to customers of a particular age group, a senior official said. But since the sariwearing Population has come down drastically, it warranted the department to explore newer avenues and business models. The department is eyeing the growing demand for organic clothes among urban dwellers and high-income groups in metro cities. These measures were being taken to give a new dimension to Cooptex and improve the living conditions of the members of the1,000-odd weaver societies affiliatedto Cooptex.

Nadus bill exempting itself fromNEETis still pending before thePresidentand the State Government continues to offer clarifications to various legal points raised by the different Union ministries, Health ministerMa Subramaniansaid.

He reacted strongly to Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s remark in an interview to TOI that TN’s opposition to NEET was pure politics. Subramanian said during one of the meetings in Delhi, Pradhan had told them off-the-record that there was 100% opposition to NEET even in his state, Odisha.

Naduchief ministerM K Stalin announced a special Rs 61.09 crore kuruvai package forfarmersin the delta districts. The move will help get additional coverage than the targeted 3.5 lakh acres this season.

The scheme will be implemented in Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai and Tiruvarur districts and partially in Cuddalore, Ariyalur and Trichy districts. It will benefit 2.07 lakh farmers in the region.

The government has allocated Rs 50 crore towards distribution of inputs, besides Rs 11.09 crore to provide subsidised machinery to the farmers and create farm ponds for effective use of water.

The State Government had held discussions with the farmers on desilting work and water release from Mettur reservoir. Desilting is being done in 647 places (for 44,061.44km) at Rs 65.11 crore.

The statewildlife crime control bureaucreated four months ago to monitorwildlife crimehas booked 105 cases. But it has been struggling with lack of Resources, adequate number of vehicles, manpower and delayed payment of salaries.

Despite being a separate bureau, the cases are still handed over to the state forest department to arrest the culprits, in the specific ranges.

The forest department is yet to give complete autonomy for the bureau to work on the cases. It has been working in coordination with central wildlife crime control bureau and is using intelligence from state forest department field officials on wildlife trophies and wildlife trafficking.

South India-based farm diversification integrator Aqgromalin has announced its PARTNERSHIP withTANUVAS, the first veterinary and animal sciences university in Asia (in 1989).

As part of the agreement, Aqgromalin will be inducted as a virtual (remote) incubatee into the Veterinary Incubation Foundation established atTamil NaduVeterinary and Animal Sciences University.

Aqgromalin helps provide ready to implement micro farms to animal husbandry and aquaculture farmers that can help them in improving their household income. These farms are implemented with minimal and include all necessary input Infrastructure.

The announced several new initiatives to boost Organic Farming in the state and to realise the objectives of its recently drafted organic farming policy.
Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture ministerM R KPanneerselvam, while presenting his third agriculture budget, said the state government would encourage organic manures free from any inorganic substances to preserve the Soil fertility. To encourage organic farming, 725 clusters will be formed covering an area of 14,500 hectares in 32 districts. To encourage organic certification, assistance will be provided for 10,000 hectares and for this purpose, Rs 26 crore will be allotted,” said Panneerselvam.

Recently, the state government released an organic farming policy to ensure, upscale and support the chemical free organic agriculture in the state and to provide safe food for the people. On the lines of the policy, the state government had announced several initiatives to promote organic farming.

A stone sculpture dating back to 11th century AD was discovered recently by a group of researchers nearDharapuram.

A team of researchers from Tirupur-based Virarajendran Archaeological and Historical Research Centre carried out a field survey in February-end.

It is mentioned in one of the inscriptions as Rajarajapuramana Adikkizhthalam, a place where soldiers of the merchant guild stayed in groups. The first merchant guild in the Sangam Age of Naduwas known as Nigamam.

On the 1000-year-old stone sculpture, the inscriptions of 13 symbols of the elephant, horse, Money purse, small chisel, measuring rod, axe were found, thereby hinting that the forces stand along the ancient trade route for the safety of traders.

With barriers in place to generate and consume solar power, installing rooftop Solar System and opting for group captive power purchase system are the viable for Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSME) sector, provided certain charges currently levied are moderated, said senior advocateRahul Balaji, who specialises in energy related disputes.

He was addressing a gathering comprising representatives of MSMEs at a workshop on Solar Energy for MSMEs inTamil Nadu, organised by the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Auroville Consulting along with World Resource Institute (WRI). With exorbitant open access charges and cross subsidy surcharges levied by Tangedco, it is hard for MSME to see benefits in setting up solar Plants for captive consumption, he said.

IIT Madras is establishing a new inter-disciplinary water management and policy centre called AquaMAP to work and solve water problems in India. The centre will provide smart solutions for water problems by designing scalable models by leveraging innovative technologies.

The centre would carry out pilot studies in at least six water innovative villages or towns which can be showcased as replicable models.Ligy Philip, department of civil engineering, IIT Madras, will be the principal investigator of AquaMAP.