CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has commissioned distribution of safety kits to 25,000 construction workers, inaugurated the office for MSME Business and Investment Development Agency for attracting foreign investments, and the completed works in Chennai and its surrounding areas for flood prevention during the monsoon.
The safety kits to 25,000 construction workers have been procured at a cost of Rs 5.44 crore. At the secretariat, seven workers received the kits in person from the chief minister. Each kit, which costs Rs 2,177, contains safety shoes, headgear, gloves, safety glasses, etc.
The MSME Agency, located at Guindy industrial estate, was declared open by the chief minister, through the video conferencing facility at the secretariat on Thursday. The MSME agency will work towards attracting investment, besides getting foreign cooperation for such units. It will function as a coordinating agency for providing single window clearance for MSMEs in Tamil Nadu and to sign agreements with trade and industry bodies and those proposing investment policies.
Meanwhile, the chief minister also inaugurated the flood prevention works in Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts, completed at a total cost of Rs 68.60 crore. Besides, he also declared open the residential quarters for government officers in Dharmapuri, Coimbatore, Dindigul and Erode districts at an expenditure of Rs 19.35 crore.
The CM, on June 29, 2018, had announced that flood prevention arrangements would be made in Chennai and its surrounding areas, to avoid flooding in northeast monsoon. These flood prevention works have been completed at Adhanur lake canal, Pappan canal, Narayanapuram lake, the lakes at Perumbakkam, Thiruvancherry and Ottiyambakkam, Guduvanchery, Urappakkam and Nandivaram. These works will benefit the six lakh people living in Tambaram, Perungalathur, Mudichur, Varadharajapuram, Selaiyur and Pallikaranai, who will be protected from floods during monsoon period, besides storing 172 mcft of rain water.
Meanwhile, the chief minister also inaugurated Agriculture department buildings constructed at a total cost of Rs 133.62 crore.
These structures include five godowns at Thoothukudi, Kancheepuram, Uthiramerur, Polur and Arani.