CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is leading a 18-member team comprising senior ministers and officials, during his three-nation visit to attract investments, which begins from Wednesday. Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar and his department officials will accompany the chief minister till his visit to England.
During his visit to the United States of America, Industries Minister MC Sampath, Revenue and IT Minister RB Udhayakumar and Dairy Development Minister KT Rajenthra Bhalaji, will accompany the chief minister. While one or two ministers are expected to return to Chennai ahead of the chief minister, the Industries minister will accompany the chief minister throughout his visit.
Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan, AISMK founder R Sarathkumar, former Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, M Thambidurai, AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudanan and many office bearers of the party, called on the chief minister at his residence on Wednesday and greeted him on his visit.
PMK founder S Ramadoss greeted the chief minister over telephone. DMDK deputy general secretary LK Sudheesh called on the chief minister at his residence while DMDK founder Vijayakanth greeted Palaniswami over telephone.
Water to be released from two dams
CHENNAI: Accepting the requests from farmers and the general public, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday ordered the release of water from Mullaperiyar dam for irrigation and drinking water purposes.
He also ordered the release of water for irrigation from Mettur dam through Pullambadi and New Kattalai canals for the farmlands in three delta districts – Trichy, Thanjavur and Ariyalur. The water to be released from Mullaiperiyar dam would benefit the lands in Cumbum valley ayacut and for meeting the drinking water requirements in Theni district. From August, 29,300 cusecs of water would be released for 120 days. As many as 14,707 acres of lands in Theni, Uthamapalayam and Bodinayakanur taluks would benefit.
EPS lays foundation for southern dists’ textile processing cluster
CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has laid the foundation for the southern districts textile processing cluster, to be established at a cost of Rs 151.86 crore, in 102 acres of land between the villages in Thamaraikulam and Pottalkulam in Virudhunagar district.
The chief minister laid the foundation through the video conferencing facility at the secretariat on Monday. The MoU for this cluster was signed during the Global Investors Meet-2015 between the Tamil Nadu government and the Southern District Textile Processing Cluster Private Limited. The cluster will have a Common Effluent Treatment Plant with Captive Power Plant (1.5MW).
The Central government will give 50% subsidy and the State government, 25 per cent subsidy. Through this cluster, 2,000 people will get direct and indirect employment and will pave the way for Rs 2,000 crore trade. Meanwhile, the chief minister also inaugurated 42 school buildings, constructed at a total cost of Rs 72.80 crore in various districts, through the video conferencing facility.
Rs 15 will be minimum fare in electric buses: Transport Mminister MR Vijayabhaskar
CHENNAI: Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar on Tuesday said Rs 15 will be charged as minimum fare in electric buses once regular services are launched. Speaking to reporters after inspecting the second electric bus here, the minister said environmental and other cost benefits for operating electric buses would be assessed only after completion of the trial period.
“We are told that an air-conditioned electric bus would consume 1.5 unit of power per km, while power consumption without AC would be one unit. The fuel saved after introduction of electric buses will be known only later”, he said. The second electric bus, having 40 seats was built by Hyderabad-based AMS company. It is expected to get introduced as a pilot project in the city soon.
To a query on ticket fare of electric buses, he said the minimum fare will be Rs 15. Presently, during the pilot project, Rs 11 is charged as minimum fare in the electric bus introduced between Central and Tiruvanmiyur. The Minister said currently only local bus manufacturers are applying for tenders.