Rs 15 crore Tamil Nadu Disaster Relief Force to be set up

Chennai: The state government on Tuesday announced to form a special battalion called the Tamil Nadu Disaster Relief Force from out of the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF).

An amount of Rs 15 crore has been earmarked for this initiative, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami informed the Assembly on Tuesday. Making a slew of announcements for agriculture, revenue and disaster management departments under Rule 110 in the State Assembly, the Chief Minister said the government would provide solar operated pump sets to 1,000 farmers this year at 90 per cent subsidised rate.

A Centre of Excellence for Bio-technology would be set up at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University campus at Coimbatore at a cost of '430 crore. Works in this regard would commence with an initial allocation of '51 crore this year, he added.

Hi-tech search and rescue instruments to various departments such as Chennai Corporation, Fire and Rescue Service, Forest Department, Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board, Coast Guard, Highways Department, Public Works Department, Home Guard would be given at a cost of '52.40 crore. A combined building of various government departments would be constructed in Erode district Collector’s office complex for Rs 52.96 crore.

Similarly additional buildings would be constructed at the Madurai district Collector’s office complex for Rs 26.62 crore. Both these buildings will be named as Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Centenary building to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of the late leader, Mr Palaniswami said.

The CM also announced that the posts of 430 agricultural assistant officers would be filled this year. He also announced that library, additional classes, research centre, hostels, gallery, purified drinking water, seed hub would be constructed at a cost of Rs. 108 crore at various agricultural universities and colleges across the State, including  Tiruchy, Echangodu, Coimbatore, Thoothukudi, Killikulam and Periyakulam.