The Centre has identified Ramanathpuram and Virudhunagar as backward districts of Tamil Nadu. The identification has been made on four broad parameters — poverty, health, education and infrastructure. In all, 115 districts in the country have been chosen.
Ramanathapuram has been ranked 38th under the parameter of poverty; 111th both under health and education; and 104th under infrastructure. Virudhunagar has been placed 16th, 100th, 114th and 105th under the four parameters respectively.
The Centre has appointed Praveen Kumar and S. Gopalakrishnan, both IAS officers of Tamil Nadu cadre and on Central deputation, ‘prabhari’ officers for Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram. They will coordinate the efforts of the Centre and State governments in “achieving rapid transformation” of the districts.