CHENNAI: As part of steps to realise the objectives set in her ‘Vision 2023’ for Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday announced setting up of a ‘Tamil Nadu Innovative Initiative’ in the State Planning Commission, to inculcate and encourage a ‘culture of innovation’ in the State.
“In the first phase, steps will be taken to inculcate a culture of innovation among the government departments and undertakings and gradually, the initiative would be extended to non-governmental organisations also. A scheme to award the innovative ideas will also be evolved by forming State Innovative Initiative Fund. For this, `150 crore per year will be given. Best innovative ideas will get the CM’s Innovative Initiative Award,” the Chief Minister said, making a suo motu statement in the Assembly under Rule 110.
Jayalalithaa said the State would also sign an agreement with the Jameel Poverty Lab at the Masschusetts Institute of Technlogy in the US under which economic and social scientists would be evaluating the ongoing projects in the departments school education, sanitation, noon-meal schemeand poverty eradication. She said `3 crore would be allocated for the purpose in the current financial year.
The Chief Minister also announced that an Integrated Farm Technique would be implemented in Veppoore (Perambalur), Mallasamduram (Namakkal), Kayathar, Kovilpatti and Ottapidaram, Pudur and Udangudi (Tuticorin), Kallikudi (Madurai), Andipatti, Kadamalikundu (Theni), Koradacheri and Kottur (Tiruvarur). The measure would benefit 750 poorest farmers and would be implemented at `8.16 crore to give boost to agriculture.