Tamil Nadu has approved 14 rural development schemes announced during the state Assembly budget session, with projects valued at Rs 3,927 crore, according to a report by Dinamalar citing Rural Development Department officials. The approved package includes village roads, water conservation works, grazing-land restoration, tree planting and new nurseries.
The government had made 31 announcements for the Rural Development Department during the budget session. Approval has now been granted for 14 of those proposals, the report said. The projects are intended to expand basic infrastructure and strengthen environmental and water-related assets in villages across the state.
One of the largest components is a Rs 1,000-crore tree-planting programme. Under the plan, two crore saplings are to be planted in rural areas to increase green cover. The department will also establish 250 new nurseries at a cost of Rs 35 crore. Each nursery is expected to have the capacity to produce 10,000 saplings.
The package also includes measures for grazing land and water storage. Around 1,000 acres of grazing land for livestock are to be restored at a cost of Rs 100 crore. The report said the work would take seasonal climate variations, including the El Niño phenomenon, into account. The proposals include protecting grazing areas and creating water-storage infrastructure.
A separate Rs 650-crore programme will provide 10,000 new ponds in villages to improve water resources. In addition, 25,000 water-conservation works—including check dams, farm ponds and recharge pits—will be taken up at a cost of Rs 250 crore. These assets are intended to support local water retention and recharge in rural areas.
Rural road construction is another major part of the approved works. Cement and paver-block roads covering 1,900 kilometres are planned at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore. The proposed road works would add to the basic transport infrastructure connecting rural settlements and local facilities, although the supplied report does not specify the districts or individual road locations.
The department officials cited by Dinamalar said tenders would be issued shortly and that the works would begin after the tendering process. The report does not provide a completion timeline, contractor details, district-wise allocation or a schedule for the remaining 17 announcements made during the budget session.
