TIIC plans to issue Rs. 36-crore loan

The Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation (TIIC) has fixed a target of Rs. 36 crore to be distributed as industrial loan in the district during the current financial year as against its last year disposal of Rs. 31 crore, said Collector C.N. Maheshwaran here on Wednesday.

Inaugurating a special loan mela organised by the TIIC in Hosur, Mr. Maheshwaran said that the TIIC was established with the view to boosting industrialisation in the State.

It had so far extended loans to over 1 lakh tiny, small and medium scale industries to the tune of Rs. 9,413 crore. Of this, 40 per cent of the loan was given to first generation entrepreneurs, he added.

Following an appeal from the Hosur Small and Tiny Industries Association (HOSTIA), the TIIC had announced a special scheme to extend loan for purchase of power generators. Under this scheme, the entrepreneur’s margin of the investment would be only 20 per cent, Mr. Maheshwaran said.

One killed in bus-lorry collision, 14 hurt

One died and 14 passengers, including eight women and a small boy, were severely injured on Wednesday evening after the bus in which they were travelling hit a lorry near Hosur in Krishnagiri.

A Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus bound from Harur in Dharmapuri going towards Hosur with more than 40 passengers when it hot a lorry near Konneripalli village on the Chennai-Bengaluru national highway, according to police.

Police said that the two vehicles collided as the lorry driver did not notice the bus.

The 14 people who were injured were shifted to the Hosur government hospital.

Border village turns paradise for house sparrows

Do you miss seeing house sparrows? You can see them in Kothagondapalli, a tiny village 5 km from Hosur

The village, which borders Karnataka, has more than 200 houses with a population of about 1,200.

It has now become a destination for environmentalists and bird lovers following the success of Kothakondapalli in conserving sparrows.

“The credit should go to Sreenivasa Seva Trust (SST) for the pride that Kothakondapalli got for its sparrow conservation,” said M. Muniraj, elected member for Kothakondapalli panchayat.

SST, promoted by the TVS group, has played a key role in encouraging villagers to conserve house sparrow. The trust chose Kothakondapalli because of its proximity to TVS Motor Company in Hosur.

The members of the trust explained the need to conserve sparrows and invited villagers to take part in the project.

The villagers agreed to take part in sparrow conservation and were given corrugated boxes modified as birds nest by the trust.

The villagers put up the nests at the entrance of their houses in the hope that sparrows would make these their homes.

“Patience is essential in the conservation of sparrows,” said T. Gopa Amma, 35, of Kothakondapalli.
SST has expanded its sparrow conservation project to other villages close to Kothakondapalli.

By Sanjeevi Anandan

ID cards distributed for differently abled persons

As many as 48 differently abled persons were given national identity cards at a special screening programme conducted in Bagalur in Hosur taluk in Krishnagiri district on Sunday.

The camp was organised jointly by the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-Abled and Care-Givers and the Office of the District Differently-Abled Welfare for the first time in the town, situated at a distance of 15 km from the industrial town of Hosur.

Over 100 differently-abled persons thronged the camp from Bagalur and neighbouring villages.

Imthiyas Ahmed, District Differently-Abled Welfare Officer, and government doctors from Krishnagiri led by S. Murugesan, orthopaedic specialist, Ranganathan, Vijay, Lakshmishri, Bhavani and Magesh screened the people.

Shyamala, district president of the association, was also present, a release said

Minister inaugurates welfare schemes for tribal people

806 tribal students hailing from villages in and around Denkanikottai Taluk given community certificates

Minister for Municipal Administration K.P. Munusamy (second left) hearing the grievances of children at Gullatti Goundanur village

 near Denkanikottai on Saturday. Krishnagiri Collector C.N. Maheshwaran (left) is in the picture.- Photo: N. Bashkaran

As many as 806 tribal students hailing from villages in and around Denkanikottai Taluk were given community certificates on Saturday by Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development K.P. Munusamy.

Inaugurating the welfare schemes for tribal people at a function held at Forest Travellers Bungalow, the Minister said that the initiative was the first of its kind in the State. He said the entire government machinery in Krishnagiri was working hard in the last two months to find out the needs of tribal people residing in 45 hilltop villages in five panchayats under the Denkanikottai and Thalli Panchayat Unions.

Based on reports published in newspapers about prevalence of malnutrition among tribal children and lack of basic amenities in tribal villages, District Collector C.N. Maheshwaran, on April 10, instructed officials of various departments to visit these villages and find out the needs of the people.

It was found that about 15,480 people were residing in the 45 villages.

Based on the findings, Mr. Maheshwaran formed a Tribal Development Committee to implement development and welfare schemes in these villages.

Welfare aids

At the function held on Saturday, welfare aids were distributed to 18 villages, which needed immediate attention. As many as 329 beneficiaries were given housesite patta, 59 new ration cards were distributed and other welfare assistance to the tune of Rs. 1.79-crore was given to 1,967 people. Seven anganwadis were also opened. Minister lauded the efforts of the district administration.

Earlier Mr. Munusamy also inaugurated a water supply scheme at Gullatti Goundanur village.

He instructed the district administration to take immediate steps to admit 12 girl children of the village in Class IX and extend all help including hostel facilities.

Presiding over the programme, Collector C.N. Maheshwaran said that the media reports were an eye-opener for the district administration.

He said the Tribal Development Committee will discuss the issues of tribal people and bring it to the notice of the district administration. First Monday of every month, Hosur Sub-Collector will listen to the grievances of the tribals, he said.

A new scheme, initiated by Collector C.N. Maheshwaran -Adopt a Tribal Child to impart Education ( Malaivazh Makkalukkana Kalvi Thana Iyakkam )- was also launched. As many as 60 people including teachers, government officials promised to donate Rs. 5,000 each, soon after the launch of the scheme.

District Revenue Officer C. Prakasam, Hosur Sub-Collector Sandeep Nanduri, District panchayat chairman K. Ashok Kumar among others participated.