Initiative / Scheme
Chief Minister’s Integrated Urban Transformation Mission (CMIUTM)
- Context: The Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department has formulated the ‘Chief Minister’s Integrated Urban Transformation Scheme’ (CMIUTM) for the period 2026–2031, aimed at upgrading infrastructure in the state’s urban local bodies.
- Financial Allocation & Timeline: ₹1.5 lakh crore; 2026–2031 (5 years)
- Objective: To enhance urban infrastructure in cities and town panchayats.
Key Focus Areas
- Water & Sanitation: 24-hour drinking water supply; improved sewage disposal and treatment facilities
- Environment: Restoration of rivers and water bodies (e.g., Cooum River, Buckingham Canal)
- Urban Greening: Additional public spaces and planting of 50 million saplings
- Safety & Services: Enhancing healthcare, e-governance, and safety for women and children
- Roads: Improvement of roads and urban aesthetics
Funding Sources
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- State Government
- Central Government schemes (AMRUT, Swachh Bharat)
- Municipal bonds
- International agencies
- Lead Department: Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department (MAWS)
Initiatives/ Scheme
Tamil Nadu’s First Raptor Census
- Context: Tamil Nadu conducted its first-ever State-wide Raptor Census to document birds of prey and create baseline conservation data.
- The census confirmed the presence of 68 raptor species across the State.
Conducting Agencies
- Conducted by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department.
- Supported by the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC) and the TN Raptors Research Foundation.
Objectives
- Identify raptor hotspots.
- Map the distribution of raptor species.
- Support long-term monitoring and conservation planning.
Important Species Recorded
- Steppe Eagle
- Tawny Eagle
- Greater Spotted Eagle
High Diversity Regions
- Highest species diversity recorded in: Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruppur, Hosur
- Diversity attributed to proximity to the Western Ghats and greater forest cover.
Vulture Habitat Significance
- The Nilgiri–Eastern Ghats interface remains one of the last viable vulture habitats in Southern India.
- The landscape is crucial for the conservation of vulture populations in the region.
Wetland-Associated Raptors
- Presence of species such as:
- Greater Spotted Eagle
- Eastern Marsh Harrier
- Indicates the ecological importance of Tamil Nadu’s wetlands and lowland habitats.
Central Asian Flyway Connection
- Findings suggest that Tamil Nadu forms part of the Central Asian Flyway wintering system.
- The Central Asian Flyway is one of the world’s major migratory bird routes.
Conservation Importance
- Tamil Nadu serves as a critical corridor for intercontinental bird migration.
- The State provides important wintering, feeding, and resting habitats for migratory raptors arriving through the Central Asian Flyway.
