Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Saturday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare the linking of the Godavari and the Cauvery a national project for the benefit of lakhs of people in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Addressing the sixth Governing Council Meeting of the NITI Aayog, he made a strong case for rejuvenating the Cauvery and its tributaries on the lines of ‘Namami Gange’, an integrated Ganga conservation mission. “The Government of India is requested to accord sanction and extend financial assistance to Tamil Nadu at the earliest,” he said.
He said Tamil Nadu won the National Water Award in 2019 for the best performing State, and the implementation of the farmer-centric ‘Kudimaramathu’ scheme led to the execution of 6,211 works at an estimated cost of ₹41,418 crore. “Tamil Nadu stands first in coverage under micro irrigation in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021.”
Mr. Palaniswami said lakhs of farmers had successfully been enrolled under the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) and ₹9,365 crore in compensation had been disbursed in the last four years to 54.12 lakh beneficiaries.
He said the contribution of the livestock sector to agriculture and allied activities had increased from 30% during 2011-2012 to 53% in real terms during 2019-2020. Diversification of trawl fishing to deep-sea fishing, development of fishing harbours and creation of marketing facilities were being taken up on a large scale, he said. Tamil Nadu, he said, was committed to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
He said a key element of infrastructure in Tamil Nadu was the supply of quality and reliable electricity, and the State had transformed itself into a power-surplus one. “Tamil Nadu stands first in wind installed capacity and third in solar installed capacity.”
The Chief Minister said Tamil Nadu had received the highest share of investment proposals (16%) in India between April to September 2020, and through the online single window portal, investments totalling ₹22,332 crore and having the potential of creating jobs for 76,835 persons had been cleared.
