Increase area under mulberry cultivation: MK Stalin

CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday directed officials of handlooms and textiles, and khadi and village Industries departments to increase mulberry-cultivation area in the State to one lakh acres, since sericulture has been a profit-making business. Also, the production of raw silk should be increased to around 3,100 metric tonnes, as the demand for it has been growing, he said.

Reviewing the functioning of the said departments, Stalin said that electronic auctioning should be introduced for sale of silk cocoons. He also reviewed the government’s decision to expand production of bivoltine silk at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore.

He also discussed increasing the sale of handicrafts from Rs 35 crore to Rs 100 crore in the next 10 years through the Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation, popularly known as Poompuhar. Establishing sales expos, super markets/departmental stores, shopping malls within college complexes and trade centres to market the Khadi products was also considered during the meeting.

Animal husbandry, dairy Development, fisheries
Stalin also reviewed the new schemes to be implemented for these three departments. Increasing milk and cattle-feed production; improving the artificial insemination process; undertaking research; and creating new infrastructure to protect fisheries resources were among the topics discussed. y, dairy Development, fisheries. The Chief Minister also reviewed the ongoing works in the Public Works Department as well as the news schemes to be implemented. 

Establishment of a library on international stand in memory of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi at Madurai, memorial for eminent Tamil writer Ki Rajanarayan at Kovilpatti, renovation of Valluvar Kottam in Chennai, works for construction of 11 government medical colleges, six collectorate complexes, establishment of a multi-super speciality hospital at King’s Institute in Guindy were among the topics discussed at the meeting.

CM presents Rs 20 lakh to kin of 4 deceased defence personnel
Chennai: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday, presented cheques for Rs 20 lakh to each of the families of four defence personnel who sacrificed their lives for the country. The family members of these personnel received the financial assistance from the Chief Minister in person at the Secretariat. The personnel who had sacrificed their lives are: N Balamurugan of Solampatti village in Madurai district, N Santhosh of Ragimana Palli village in Krishnagiri district, S Anand of Kanyakumari district, and S Sabarinathan of Kakkankarai village in Tirupattur district.

New members appointed to Tamil Nadu Wakf Board

Chennai: The State government has appointed M Abdul Rahman, Suhail Hyder Khan, scholar in Shia Islamic theology and AS Fathima Muzaffer, scholar in Sunni Islamic theology as members of the Tamil Nadu Wakf Board. The three members of the Board - Amatul Aatifa, V Munawwar Hussain and A Tamilmahan Hussain, had recently resigned from the Board. Meanwhile, the Wakf Board has informed that the draft electoral roll containing the Muslim members in the State Assembly, for election  to the Board would be published on July 14.  Any complaint regarding non-inclusion of names in the electoral roll should reach the Board by 3 p.m on July 20, said an official release.

‘Renew 2GB data cards given to college students for online classes’

Chennai: Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday urged the DMK government to renew the 2GB data cards given to the college students during the AIADMK regime. Palaniswami, in a statement said, “2GB data cards were given to 9.70 lakh students studying in government arts and science colleges, government-aided colleges, polytechnic, engineering and self-financing colleges from January to April to attend online classes.  Now admissions are going on for many colleges and students have been promoted to the next classes. Since most of the students cannot afford internet, government should renew 2GB data cards.”