Recent Tamil Nadu Government Schemes Part - 09

(இதன் தமிழ் வடிவத்திற்கு இங்கே சொடுக்கவும்)

50. e-pettagam mobile App

Launch date:

• June 13, 2023.

Ministry or Nodal Agency

• Ministry: Information Technology and Digital Services.
• Nodal Agency: Tamil Nadu Digital Governance Agency (TNeGA).

Aim

• To address the internal training needs of the Tamil Nadu Digital Governance Agency and train officials from other departments.

Beneficiary

• Officials from the Tamil Nadu Digital Governance Agency (both headquarters and districts)
• Officials from other departments
• Citizens of Tamil Nadu
• Businesses in Tamil Nadu

Eligibility

• For training: Officials from the Tamil Nadu Digital Governance Agency and other departmental officials.
• For Blockchain Backbone: All citizens and businesses in Tamil Nadu who need to store and share digital documents securely.

Additional Information

• State Training Center for Digital Governance and Tamil Nadu's Blockchain Backbone Launched by Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan.

Training Modules:

• Digital Office Training.
• G2C Services Training.
• Training for E-District Managers (E-DMs).
• Software Development Training.
• Mobile App Development Training.
• GIS (Geographical Information System) Training.
• E-Procurement Training.
• Other necessary skill enhancement training.

Training Features:

• High-end computers with 24-inch touchscreens.
• Laptops for all participants.
• Microphones for interaction.
• High-speed internet.

Trust Network (NI) – Blockchain Backbone:

• Function:
• To securely store and protect e-service certificates, educational certificates, mark sheets, licenses, land transaction documents, and data for Tamil Nadu.
• Mobile Application:
• e-Pettagam – Citizen Wallet.
• Verification:
• All documents are verified through the NI Blockchain, ensuring they are tamper-proof.

First Phase:

• Secure 24 types of e-service certificates (e.g., caste certificates, birth certificates, income certificates, first graduate certificates).
• Secure educational certificates and mark sheets.
• Citizens can share documents via email, SMS, or other means.
• Secure land registration data from the Tamil Nadu government.

51. "Thirukovil App" (Temple Prasadam Delivered to Your Home: Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department's Postal Service Project)

Ministry or Nodal Agency:

• Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department

Aim:

• To deliver prasadam from famous temples to devotees through postal services, ensuring easy access to temple offerings and information via the "Thirukovil" app.

Beneficiary:

• Devotees from any part of India (and globally within three months) who wish to receive temple prasadam and access information about temple festivals and services.

Eligibility:

• Open to all devotees wishing to receive prasadam from temples.
• The "Thirukovil" app is available for anyone seeking information about temples in Tamil Nadu.

Additional Information:

• Temple Visits:
• The app and postal service cater to those who undertake spiritual tours and may face obstacles in visiting temples, especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Spiritual Travel:
• The scheme allows devotees to receive prasadam by mail for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.
• This service is in collaboration with the Postal Department to ensure easy access to temple offerings.
• Temples:
• Prasadam delivery will be available from temples such as Mylapore Kapaleeswarar Temple, Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple, Samayapuram Mariamman Temple, Palani Dandayuthapani Temple, Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Thiruchendur Subramania Swamy Temple, among others.
• Thirukovil App:
• Provides comprehensive information on temples including history, legends, opening hours, puja timings, ritual fees, important festivals, virtual tours, live streaming of festivals, routes via Google Maps, accommodation facilities, wheelchair access, restrooms, and more.
• Free Services:
• Includes information on free services like electric vehicle rides and wheelchairs for senior citizens and differently-abled individuals.
• The app also facilitates donations for services like annadanam and temple renovations.
• Postal Prasadam Service:
• Devotees can receive prasadam from anywhere in India and globally within three months.
• Each temple will send its special prasadam without additional charges.
• Accessible Darshan:
• Initiatives to create pathways and facilities for differently-abled and elderly people in 48 primary temples, making them easily accessible.  
• Temple Prasadam:
• Special prasadam from each temple will be sent, with measures in place to prevent additional charges for darshan fees.
• Information regarding irregularities at the Chidambaram Natarajar Temple is being collected for appropriate action.
• Initiatives inaugurated by HR&CE Minister Sekarbabu include prasadam delivery from 48 primary temples and the launch of the "Thirukovil" app for temple information.

52. Illam Thedi prasadham App

Launch date:

• 18.05.2023

Ministry or Nodal Agency:

• The Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments.

Aim:

• To provide easy access to information and services related to temples managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and to distribute temple offerings (prasadam) directly to devotees' homes.

Beneficiary:

• Devotees of Hindu temples under the management of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.
• Senior citizens and differently-abled individuals visiting these temples.

Eligibility:

• Devotees interested in accessing temple information and services.
• Devotees wishing to receive temple prasadam at their homes.

Additional Information:

• Users can make donations for annadanam (food donation) and temple renovations through the app.
• Religious texts like Thevaram, Thiruvasagam, Thirumurais, and the Nalayira Divya Prabandham are available in full on the app.
• Initially, the app includes details of 50 prominent temples, with plans to add 88 more temples in the next phase and eventually include all temples.
• The scheme to send prasadam from 48 major temples to devotees' homes is launched in collaboration with the Indian Postal Service, with charges only for prasadam and postal fees.
• The scheme aims to extend globally within three months to send temple prasadam worldwide.

53. 'Protect Soil, Save Lives' scheme

Launch date:

• June 12, 2024

Ministry or Nodal Agency:

• Tamil Nadu Government, Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare

Aim:

• To protect soil health and enhance farmers' livelihoods through the 'Protect Soil, Save Lives' scheme by distributing green manure seeds and providing agricultural machinery at low rental rates.

Beneficiary:

• Farmers across Tamil Nadu
• Rural youth

Eligibility:

• Farmers involved in agriculture
• Rural youth interested in training for operating agricultural machinery

Additional Information:

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the 'Protect Soil, Save Lives' scheme and distributed 4,000 metric tons of green manure seeds to farmers with an allocation of ₹20 crore.
• The initiative aims to cultivate green manure crops on 200,000 acres with a budget allocation of ₹20 crore.
• This effort is part of a broader plan to enhance soil health and protect soil microorganisms by promoting organic farming practices.
• The Department of Agricultural Engineering will provide tractors, rotary tillers, and rotavators at low rental rates for farmers and offer tractor-driving training for rural youth.  
• For the first time in Tamil Nadu's history, a separate budget for the agriculture department has been introduced to focus on the welfare of farmers.
• The department has been renamed as the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare to reflect this emphasis.
• Various schemes, such as the Kalaignar All Village Integrated Agricultural Development Programme and the Chief Minister's Dry Land Development Mission, have been implemented to significantly increase farmers' income.
• The scheme addresses the issues of soil nutrient depletion due to continuous monocropping and excessive use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, which have reduced soil health and the population of soil microorganisms.
• To counter these issues, the Tamil Nadu government will implement the new scheme with an allocation of ₹206 crore across 22 varieties of crops, starting with the distribution of green manure seeds.
• Green manure crops improve soil health by enhancing soil nutrients and protecting soil microorganisms, thereby improving the quality of agricultural produce and public health.
• Initially, the scheme will be implemented on 200,000 acres in irrigated and rainfed areas with an investment of ₹20 crore.
• The Chief Minister distributed the green manure seeds to farmers, officially launching the scheme, which is expected to benefit over 200,000 farmers.

Low Rental Rates for Agricultural Machinery:

• The 2023-24 budget for the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare included an announcement for the procurement of agricultural machinery worth ₹25 crore to be made available to farmers at low rental rates through the department's e-rental app.
• In line with this announcement, 90 tractors, 180 rotary tillers, and 90 rotavators, procured at a cost of ₹10.25 crore, were flagged off by the Chief Minister to be provided to farmers at low rental rates.

Training for Rural Youth:

• The 2023-24 budget also included an announcement to provide skill development training for 500 rural youth in operating tractors and harvesters at six mechanization centers in Vellore, Coimbatore, Trichy, Madurai, Tiruvarur, and Tirunelveli.
• This training program, with an allocation of ₹1 crore, aims to create skilled operators for agricultural machinery.  

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