Chennai: After the TVK won the by-elections to the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly seats, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has announced development projects worth Rs 1,545.50 crore for both constituencies, covering drinking water, agriculture, education, healthcare, housing and civic infrastructure.
In Madurantakam, a check dam will be built across the Pukkathurai stream at Athimanam village for Rs 5 crore. The sluices of a lake at Sembundi will be renovated for Rs 4.50 crore. For farmers, six paddy procurement centres, a 20,000-tonne warehouse at Athur (Rs 20 crore) and a 25-acre seed farm (Rs 10 crore) will come up. A Government Arts and Science College for Women at Acharapakkam (Rs 20 crore) and an accident and emergency unit at Madurantakam Government Hospital (Rs 10 crore) are also planned.
For Dharapuram, a new combined drinking water scheme drawing from the Cauvery will be implemented at Rs 1,439 crore, serving 1,232 rural habitations in the Dharapuram, Kangeyam, Kundadam, Pongalur and Vellakoil areas. The Chief Minister also announced 2,700 free house-site pattas for the homeless in Dharapuram.
In Tiruppur district, 159 desilting works will be taken up for Rs 10 crore, and about 271 km of canals in Dharapuram will be cleared. New overhead tanks in Dharapuram, Mulanur and Kundadam will provide about 13,000 drinking water connections. A new fire station will come up at Mulanur. The departments concerned have been told to implement the works at the earliest.