Road Ahead

An analysis of Tamil Nadu was brought out by the Human Development Centre recently entitled 'The Road Ahead: Tamil Nadu in the New Millennium'. One very interesting section of the report was on 'Income, Employment and Poverty' particularly as the Tiruvannamalai District economy is primarily based on agriculture.

The report begins by the recommendation to:

'Develop agriculture through systematic and cost effective watershed approaches, with people's participation.'

The next proposal shows a much higher degree of intelligence compared to the current insanity of the West with its emphasis on open markets and thereby the destruction of its own indigenous agricultural communities and independence. The Tamil Nadu report's emphasis is on 'ensuring food security'; a lesson for other countries to learn!

'Encourage the cultivation of commercial crops with market advantage while ensuring food security with the stabilisation of rice cultivation in about 2 million hectares.'

'Encourage agro-based industries through the cultivation of agro-forestry and horticultural crops in wastelands for employment generation and income enhancement in the rural sector.'

I'm not sure about the next recommendation as I expect it was for this reason a milk processing plant is going to be set up at Tiruvannamalai District:

http://arunachalagrace.blogspot.com/2006/08/milk-plant.html

'Ensure quality of livestock products and effectiveness of support services to improve livestock development by encouraging private enterprises and farmers.'

No reason to encourage building in Tiruvannamalai as that's going on very well by itself. In fact there is so much money being invested in construction in Tiruvannamalai, that many contractors are having to come not just from out-of-town, but also from out-of-State!

'Encourage the informal sector building industry, specially in rural areas, through appropriate fiscal policy measures.'

Tiruvannamalai has a good Computer College with a record of specialist employment for graduates. Also as the town is District Headquarters and local Government is based here, there will be lots of related opportunities in the future.

'Improve the skills of the workforce in view of the changing market demand in the industrial and service sectors as a result of greater automation and the advent of IT.'