Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act, 1937 ▪ TN Chief Minister M.K. Stalin informed the Legislative Assembly that the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act, 1937 will be amended to make punishments stringent. ▪ The Act aims to introduce and extend the prohibition of the manufacture, sale and consumption of intoxicating liquors and drugs in the State of Tamil Nadu. Note ▪ Operation Ganja Vettai-4.0 – Launched in April 30, 2023 to curb the illegal menace of ganja peddling. ▪ Tamilnadu State Marketing Corporation Ltd. (TASMAC) was established in 1983 to regulate the sale of alcohol and curb illicit liquor. Announcements regarding Start-Ups ▪ Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises T.M. Anbarasan announced a special seed fund will be introduced to support start-ups run by persons with disabilities and transgender persons. ▪ The beneficiaries would be identified by the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission (StartupTN). Other Announcements ▪ Regional start-up hubs would be established in Coimbatore and Tiruchi at a cost of ₹1.5 crore. ▪ Global Startup Coordination Centres would be established in Singapore and the U.S. at a cost of ₹1 crore. ▪ Thozhil Nayam - A design studio to cater to the design needs of the start-ups will be established. ▪ The second edition of Tamil Nadu Startup Thiruvizha will be held in Madurai to generate market access and networking opportunities for the start-ups Single-use plastic (SUP) items ▪ The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) said that a total of 116.178 tonnes of banned single- use plastic items were seized in the special enforcement drives undertaken by local bodies between October 2022 and March 2024. ▪ In an effort to encourage the public to switch to cloth bags, the TNPCB installed manjappai-vending machines at 174 locations including the Koyambedu Market. Note ▪ India banned SUP items from July 1,…
