Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday remotely launched the Kalaignar’s All Village Integrated Agriculture Development Project in the districts of Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Erode.
At Krishnagiri, the event witnessed the distribution of farm inputs for conversion of fallow lands into cultivable farmlands at Jinjampatty panchayat in Kuttur village. The project seeks to enable villages to develop to their full potential with the right kind of aid and support through the coordinated intervention of various departments and agencies related directly and indirectly to farming and farm produce.
The project envisions conversion of fallow lands into lush cultivable clusters by creating new sources of irrigation, setting up of solar power motors, value addition to agricultural produce, augmenting livestock health and milk production, revenue record changes through patta and sitta transfers, institutional credit through cooperative societies, and desilting of channels and water bodies in project villages. The outcomes envisioned includes increase of farm revenues, increase in green cover, capacity building of SHGs through engaging women into farm economy, balanced nutritional support to the citizens, distribution of saplings through the departments of horticulture, alleviation of poverty, ground water recharge and creating entrepreneurs among the village youth.
Krishnagiri Collector V.Jayachandra Bhanu Reddy, who presided over the inaugural, said the project was aimed at transforming village economy. He distributed horticultural crops among farmers in Jinjampatty panchayat.
In Dharmapuri, the project envisions an allocation of ₹ 227 crore for the development of 57 villages, over 1,997 village panchayats and 9 lakh families dependent on farming .
The project envisions increase in cultivable lands, and augmenting the productivity of cultivable lands with two cycles of cultivation. The macro goals of the project envisions pushing the State’s rank to first in the country in the production of millets, coconuts, cotton, sunflower and groundnuts. Dharmapuri Collector S. Dhivyadarshini presided over the event.
In Erode, the project was launched in 60 village panchayats. The inaugural function held at Kumaravalasu Panchayat in Chennimalai Panchayat Union saw the participation of Collector H. Krishnanunni, Mayor S. Nagarathinam, Deputy Mayor V. Selvaraj, Additional Collector (Development) and District Rural Development Agency Project Director L. Madhubalan, Erode Revenue Divisional Officer P. Premalatha, Joint Director of Agriculture S. Chinnasamy and other officials were present. Mr. Krishnanunni distributed welfare assistance to the tune of ₹35.59 lakh to 13,724 beneficiaries from 60 village panchayats.
