Date:21/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/21/stories/2008092159740700.htm

Tamil Nadu

Precision farms to be established in Dindigul

Staff Reporter

DINDIGUL: With comfortable storage in major dams, wells and tanks, Department of Agriculture plans to set up precision farms in 500 hectares in the district under National Agriculture Development Project. Initially, maize, sunflower and sugarcane would be raised using precision farming techniques in the proposed site, said Collector R. Vasuki.

She was delivering a special address at the district panchayat council meeting at the Collectorate here on Saturday. She said that farmers’ participation was important to implement the scheme. A sum of Rs. 40,000 would be given as subsidy for the beneficiaries. A special farmers’ committee would also be constituted in this connection. Identifying members for the committee had commenced.

Suitable sites for installation of 100 weather monitoring stations to provide information on weather conditions to farmers had been identified. Commissioning of these stations would commence shortly. Agriculture graduates would be trained under Agri Clinic scheme to guide farmers on fertigation, irrigation management, pest control measures and latest technology in harvesting techniques, she added.

While discussing about maintenance of dams, Ms. Vasuki informed that work on fixing of shutters in Azhagapuri dam would be completed within 15 days. (One of the shutters of the dam was washed away in a flash flood in Kudaganar river in the last rainy season.)

A complete face ift would be given for anganwadi centres. Over 140 centres would get new buildings, the Collector said.

Tribal welfare

Self-help group concept would be propagated among tribal people for sustainable income generation activities. House pattas would be given to tribal people in Pachalur and Kodaikanal. Community certificates would also be issued to them.

They would be encouraged to form SHGs to avail economic assistance.

Special schemes had been formulated to renovate residential schools on the hills, fill vacant teacher posts and set up new schools to provide basic education to all tribal children.

Mobile medical units would also be introduced to take healthcare to the doorstep of tribal people, she said.