Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today announced a series of integrated drinking water schemes and also proposed a ‘Tamil Nadu Innovative Initiative’ to promote innovation in the State.
Making suo motu announcements in the Assembly, she said her government would implement six integrated drinking water schemes for various local bodies in Theni, Sivaganga, Kanyakumari, Coimbatore, Erode, and Virudhunagar districts, all totalling Rs 1,672.01 crore.
The proposal would benefit over 10 lakh people in the districts, she said, adding that these efforts were aimed at meeting her government’s plan of ensuring supply of quality piped drinking water.
She has allocated Rs 451.66 crore to ensure 24 hours water supply from Pillur Stage II scheme launched by her in 2012. The Chief Minister has proposed another Rs 53.62 crore for various water development projects.
Sewage recycling plant
To meet the growing water needs of industries in Manali and Minjur in North Chennai, she has announced setting up of a 45 mld sewage recycling plant at Kodungaiyur at an estimated cost of Rs 255 crore to serve the industries and power generation stations.
She said a rain water drainage system covering expanded areas under Chennai Corporation would be implemented at a cost of Rs 1,101.43 crore, even as a project report had been prepared for a massive integrated drainage system estimated at Rs 4034 crore for the city.
She has also proposed taking up Rs 631.39-crore solid waste management project at zonal levels in Tiruchi, Tirupur, Tuticorin and Vellore Corporations and Nagercoil municipality.
‘Amma Makkal Sevai Maiyam’
Jayalalithaa, addressed as ‘Amma’ (Mother) by her supporters, has announced yet another initiative named after her, the ‘Amma Makkal Sevai Maiyam’ or Amma People’s Service Centre, which will be a one-stop shop for people approaching urban local bodies like corporations and municipalities with a number of requirements, including birth and death certificates, taxation issues, commercial licences.
Officials concerned will meet people every Wednesday and take efforts for time-bound delivery of services, she said, that the adding heads of departments will monitor delivery of services online for faster solutions to people.
‘Tamil Nadu innovative initiative’
In a separate announcement, she said the ‘Tamil Nadu Innovative Initiative’ will be set up to promote innovation in the State by awarding people who come up with innovative ideas.
A separate fund will be created with a corpus of Rs 150 crore for this purpose, she said, adding that best innovations would receive the Chief Minister’s Award.
The State Government will also ink a pact with Jameel Poverty Lab at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, under which experts in school education, sanitation, and poverty eradication will be appointed to evaluate various ongoing projects for better governance, she said.