Initiatives/ Schemes
Ship building Policy
- Context: The Tamil Nadu government unveiled its Ship building Policy 2026 introducing a capital subsidy and incentive framework backed by a special purpose vehicle to attract global shipyards and position the state as a hub for shipbuilding.
- The five year policy seeks to build large, technologically advanced and sustainable shipyards capable of producing high value ocean going vessels, including Very Large Crude Carriers.
Objectives
- Strengthen the State’s maritime manufacturing ecosystem.
- Position Tamil Nadu as a major shipbuilding hub in India’s blue economy.
- Develop integrated shipbuilding clusters including: Design, Fabrication, Repair, Research & Development, Training.
Industries Eligible for Incentives
Shipyards involved in:
- Large ocean-going vessels for international and coastal trade.
- Medium specialised vessels.
- Defence and naval crafts and coast guard vessels.
- Submarines and underwater transport equipment.
- Mechanised fishing boats (excluding trawlers and FRP boats).
- Ship maintenance, repair and recycling (excluding recycled steel processing).
Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)
- Government will create an SPV under SIPCOT.
- The SPV will:
- Facilitate establishment of shipyards in identified clusters.
- Invite a Centre-nominated agency as a major stakeholder.
- Enable investment and infrastructure support.
Agroforestry Policy
- Context: Chief Minister released the Tamil Nadu Agroforestry Policy 2026, aimed at promoting the cultivation of high value trees such as teak, sandalwood, red sanders and rosewood on agricultural land parcels, simplifying procedures for harvesting and marketing timber and expanding the states forest and tree cover to 33%.
- The policy aims to ensure ecological resilience by promoting trees that improve soil health, conserve water and enhance climate resilience, aligning with the goals for environmental sustainability and integrated growth.
Objectives
- Improve forest cover
- Increase farmer’s income
- Strengthen sustainability
- Creation of a new board for promoting agroforestry
- Simplify procedures for harvesting and marketing timber
Trees to be promoted for cultivation
- High value trees like Sandalwood, red sanders, rosewood
- Timber species like teak, mahogany, Vengai, poovarsu, Kumil, Vagai, Sisoo
- Industrial wood species such as alianthus, acrocarpus, silver oak, melia, casuarina
- Oilseeds like neem, pungam, punnai, simarouba, mahua
- Non-timber forest product trees like naval, palamyhra, tamarind, kadukal
Cervical Cancer Vaccination
- Context: The Public Health Department has announced that the cervical cancer vaccination program for girls has been completed in 4 districts of Tamil Nadu.A total of 30,209 girls have been vaccinated.
- Girls studying in government and government-aided schools were vaccinated in 2 installments.
- Cervical cancer is mostly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
- In Tamil Nadu, Dharmapuri and Perambalur have the highest incidence of cervical cancer. That is, 36 per lakh women are affected in those districts.
- The rate is next to that in Ariyalur at 29.9. As far as Chennai is concerned, it is 13 and the total cervical cancer incidence rate in Tamil Nadu is 14 per lakh.
Cervical Cancer Vaccination
- The HPV vaccination program for girls aged 9–14 years was launched in Tamil Nadu on January 27, 2026.
- For the first time in India, free cervical cancer vaccination has been administered to pre-pubescent girls in Tiruvannamalai, Ariyalur, Perambalur and Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu Integrated Drinking Water Redressal Centre
-
- Context: The Chief Minister inaugurated the Tamil Nadu Integrated Drinking Water Redressal Centre ‘Funal’ to take action on complaints related to drinking water supply across Tamil Nadu.
- This centre has been set up to receive all complaints related to drinking water supply across Tamil Nadu at one place.
- This centre has been established by the Tamil Nadu Drinking Water Supply and Drainage Board.
- The public can report their complaints through the toll-free number 1916, Funal website.
Environment
Synchronised Vulture Census
- Context: Synchronised Vulture Census will be conducted at forest land scapes of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka to assess population in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
- India is home to nine vulture species, seven of which are recorded in Tamil Nadu, including White-rumped, Long-billed and Red-headed vultures that have established breeding populations.
- This will be the fourth synchronised survey. The survey will use vantage point counts and nest monitoring.
Awards
Kalaichemmal Award
- Context: Kalaichemmal Award is presented every year by the Department of Art and Culture, Government of Tamil Nadu.
- This award is given to the best artists in the fields of traditional and modern style painting and sculpture.
-
- The award carries a prize money of Rs. 1 lakh, a copper plate, and a certificate of appreciation.
- 6 best artists are selected for this award every year.
The awardees for the year 2025–2026 are:
- Traditional Painting – M. Balasubramanian
-
- Traditional Sculpture – D. Srikanda Sthapathi, D. Padmanaban
- Modern Style Painting – G. Vilvanathan, M. Raja
- Modern Style Sculpture – S. Shanthi
