Maize Cultivation
▪ Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare M.R.K. Panneerselvam announced that the TamilNadu government would implement a special scheme to increase the area under maize cultivationin 18 districts at a cost of ₹30 crore.
▪ A kit with high quality maize seeds, natural and liquid fertilizers, and urea would be distributed to50,000 farmers to increase the area by 50,000 hectares.
Note
▪ According to the action plan of the Agriculture Department for 2024-25, the government has set a target to increase the area under millets to 9.95 lakh hectares.
▪ The total food grains production target was 129.63 lakh metric tonnes for 2024-25.
Perumbalai Excavation
▪ Tamil Nadu Department of Archaeology recently released the report, titled ‘Excavations at Perumbalai 2022’
▪ The report was prepared by S. Paranthaman and R. Venkata Guru Prasanna.
▪ The report stated that Graffiti marks “resembling geometric symbols” were among the potsherds discovered.
▪ An unidentified copper coin and a copper bell were also discovered.
Note
▪ Kongumandala Satakam is a 13th Century literary work by Karmegakavirayar of Vijayamangalam. It refers to Perumbalai as the northern boundary of the Kongu region.
▪ Perumbalai is located on the bank of the Nagavathi (ancient Palar). It is one of the tributaries of Cauvery river.
