Programme for preservation of bio diversity

The Tamil Nadu government has taken up a Rs 686-crore programme for preservation of biodiversity and afforestation, along with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Speaking at the 18th National Children’s Science Congress organized at Vels University here, the state chief minister M Karunanidhi said the central and state governments had launched several schemes to use the land and also to leave it to the future generations in a good condition. Among the programmes undertaken by the state government are those for conservation, development and management of the agricultural land and water resources. The state has 13 million hectares of land of which 57.7 percent is cultivated, and 2.8 percent is cultivable waste. Apart from the Tamil Nadu Preservation of Biodiversity and Afforestation Programme, JICA is involved several programmes for soil conservation in tribal areas, hill area development, Western Ghats development, soil and water conservation in the catchments of river valleys, precision farming, Tamil Nadu Watershed Development Agency and National Watershed Development programme for Rain-fed areas.