Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has unveiled in her speech at the Collectors’ Conference in Chennai, held recently, a plan for developing the southern districts of Tamil Nadu, with special reference to the districts of Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Virudhunagar, notably the creation of a special socio economic development fund for Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram.

In the announcement, Ramanathapuram has got the maximum number of schemes sanctioned. They include upgrading of the district headquarters hospital to the level of a medical college hospital; creation of a unit for communicable diseases in the Rameswaram hospital and a mental hospital for Erwadi. In order to expedite industrialisation of south Tamil Nadu, the Ramanathapuram-Tuticorin road is to be converted into a four-lane highway and its development as an industrial corridor.

A mega power project is also to be established in the district along with a solar energy and fish processing parks. The Government will start co-educational colleges in Kadaladi, Mudukulathur and Tiruvadanai. To improve water supply, construction of four check dams across the Vaigai in the district has been planned. A food processing training and research centre will be coming up in Sivaganga district. Tangedco is to set up a sub-station at Pottapalayam. Devakottai, Ilayankudi, Manamadurai and Singampunari are soon to have traffic police stations and two armed reserve platoons would be sanctioned for Sivaganga,

In order to augment facilities at the Theni Medical College, an MRI facility has been sanctioned. For Virudhunagar district, with an eye on safety in fireworks units, the Chief Minister has announced that it would be made mandatory to maintain the roads leading to fireworks units to facilitate speedy rescue operations in case of blast and installation of sprinklers on the ceiling to effectively put out fire. An outer ring road is to be established in Sivakasi. In Dindigul district, three acres of municipal land are to be transferred to the Transport Department for providing parking facility at Kodaikanal and ghat roads are to be widened. A mega tourism project will be taken up in Mannavanur. A trauma care centre would be provided for Palani and additional buildings for the Dindigul hospital. A check dam is to be constructed at Kilkundaru in Kodaikanal for augmenting drinking water supply. For Kanykumari district, a new water supply scheme to renovate heritage buildings has been sanctioned.

For Tuticorin district a ship building yard and a desalination plant have been announced. A government arts and science college would be sanctioned for Kovilpatti . Sea erosion prevention structures would come up in Vembaar, Veerapandipattinam, Periyathazhai, Kallamozhi and Keelavaipar.

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