General Information about Thoothukudi District
 Area and Population |
Transport & Communication |
There are no big reservoirs in this district. In Ottapidaram taluk there is one small reservoir at Eppodumvendran village. However Papanasam and Manimuthar Dams which are located in the Tirunelveli district under Tamirabarani system are the main sources of irrigation. Besides Tamirabarani river, there is a river named as "Vaipar" in Vilathikulam Taluk and a river named as "Karumeni" which traverses through Sathankulam and Tiruchendur Taluks.
Paddy is mainly cultivated in Srivaikundam, Sattankulam and Tiruchendur taluks. Cumbu, Cholam, Kuthiraivali and other Pulses are raised in the dry tracts of Kovilpatti, Vilathikulam, Ottapidaram and Thoothukudi taluks. Cotton is being cultivated mainly in Kovilpatti, Ottapidaram and Thoothukudi taluks. Groundnut cultivation is mainly undertaken in Kovilpatti, Tiruchendur and Sattankulam taluks. Groundnut cake is being used as manure and cattle feed.
Palmyrah trees are grown mostly in Tiruchendur, Srivaikundam, Sattankulam and Vilathikulam taluks. Jaggery is produced from palmyrah juice and the production of Jaggery is the main occupation of Tiruchendur and Sattankulam taluks people next ot agriculture. Banana and other Vegetables are raised in Srivaikundam and Tiruchendur taluks.
a. |
Total Cultivated Area |
1,97,413 Hec |
b. |
Net Area Sown |
1,88,296 Hec |
c. |
Area Sown more than once |
9,117 Hec |
| d | Area,
Production of Principal |
Area
(hec.) in |
Production |
i. |
Rice |
21721 |
96920 |
ii. |
Millets and Other Cereals |
-- |
52184 |
iii. |
Pulses |
-- |
23,365 |
iv. |
Sugarcane (Gur) |
98 |
11,610 |
v |
Groundnut |
2,762 |
5,450 |
vi. |
Gingely |
3,352 |
1,270 |
vii. |
Cotton (BL) (in Lints) |
17,450 |
13,900 |
e ) Important Agri. Crops |
Paddy, Chillies, Banana and Cumbu |
f ) Important Non-Agri. Crops |
Chenna, Cotton |
g ) Agricultural Land Holdings |
|
i. Holdings |
2,24,102 |
ii Area |
2,83,916.76 (Hec.) |
iii Average size of Holdings |
1,27 (Hec.) |
There is an Agriculture College at Killikulam in Srivaikundam taluk and one Cotton Research Centre at Kovilpatti.
According to Livestock Census of 1994, the district Livestock Population was 10,26,339. The poultry is numbered at 4,05,415. The cattle population is high at Tiruchendur followed by Kovilpatti and Srivaikundam taluks. Kovilpatti taluk ranks first in sheep population.
Kinds of Veterinary Institutions available in this district are as detailed below:
1. Clinical Centre : 1
2. Veterinary Hospitals : 3
3. Veterinary Dispensaries : 23
4. Veterinary Sub-Centres : 73
Government of Tamil Nadu have ordered in G.O. No. 3, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department, dated 10.1.2000 for conducting special camps for the welfare of cattle. So far 25 special camps have been organised in this district. The total number of cattle benefited through this scheme is 83,909.
Marine fishing, Pearl and Chunk fishing are famous in this district from the time immemorial. Thoothukudi is the main centre for deep sea fishing in the district which has a lengthy coast-line of about 140 Km.. Prawn culture is very flourishing in this district and earning considerable amount of foreign exchange. Now the prawn culture has been banned by the Supreme Court of India due to pollution issues. The other varieties of fishes are caught and most of the quantity of the fish are exported to all parts of the country. Some kind of fishes are caught, powdered and backed and it is called as MASI. The MASI is even exported to all parts of the country as well as foreign countries particularly to Sri Lanka and other Indian Ocean countries. The fish-cake produced here are used for food for prawns and other fishes. There are 11 marine fishing villages.
There is one Joint Director of Fisheries and Assistant Directors of Fisheries in charge of Pearl-chunk fishing, Fishermen Training Institute and for technical guidance. There is fish-seed farm at Kadamba. Service centre/Base workshop of this district is situated at Thoothukudi. Fish is produced and supplied to the poor at cheaper rates. There is a fish curing centre at Punnakayal. There are 450 mechnaised boats, 1300 vallams and 900 Kattamarans in this district. About 5,428 Fishermen families are directly engaged in fishing in these vessels. There is a Fisheries College at Thoothukudi. The estimated inland fish catch is 1,583 MT and Marine fish catch is 34,066 MT in the year 1999 .
The Thoothukudi Thermal Power Station (TTPS) is the biggest power station in Tamil Nadu under the control of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board with three units of 2 ton M.W. each generating 50 million units of energy daily. The first unit was commissioned in July, 1979, the second unit in December 1980 and the third unit in March 1982. This power station is feeding about 1/3 of the total power demand of Tamil Nadu.
Generation of Electricity (in M.U)
a) Wind Mill Generation : 28.1
b) Thermal : 6,596
c) Power purchased : 28.1
Consumption of Electricity (in M.U)
a) Agriculture : 36
b) Industry : 369
c) Commercial : 60
d) Domestic : 132
e) Public lighting and water works 25
Rural Electrification .
a) No. of Pump sets Energised : 20,817
b) No. of Villages Electrified : 468
The district constitutes 70 % of the total salt production of the state and meets 30 % requirement of our country. There are two Industrial Estates one at Kovilpatti with 11 units and the other at Thoothukudi with 20 units. The former is managed by SIDCO and the latter by SIPCOT. Small Scale Industries such as match industries, food-based and metal-based industries are generally concentrated in Kovilpatti and Thoothukudi taluks. In Puthiamputhur village Ottapidaram taluk and in Kovilpatti, the production of Readymade dresses are very much flourishing in recent times and the readymade dresses produced here are exported to Northern India and it earns a reputed name.
There are 2,200 and above Small Scale Industries registered in the district and about 12 major industries. They are engaged in the production of cotton and staple yarn, caustic soda, PVC resin, fertilizers, soda-ash, carbon dioxide gas in liquid form etc., The important major industries are SPIC, TAC, Dharangadhara Chemical Works, Loyal Textails Ltd., Madura coats Ltd., Sterlite Copper Industries, Kilburn Chemicals, Ramesh Flowers, Nila sea foods, Deva and Co., and Transworld Granite Industries.
The public sector undertakings are the Thoothukudi Thermal Power Station unit, Heavy Water Plant (HWP) and Port Trust. During this year 1,128 vessels entered this port and cargo to the tune of 12.13 lakhs tonnes were handled. Thoothukudi port has been issued the prestigious ISO-9002 certificate for the port operation and services and has joined the select group of World ports by becoming the first Indian major port to get such certificate.
The Central Government is considering the construction of Titanium and Zirconium Sponge Plant, which comes under the control of Dept of Atomic Energy at Palayakayal village of Srivaikundam taluk. The District Industries Centre and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation are catering to the needs of the small and large scale industries.
The Government is also encouraging unemployed youth and others to start industries by providing financial assistance and technical guidance. State Bank of India is the "Lead Bank" and is acting as the District Co-ordinator between the banks and the Government agencies for the preparation of credit plan for the district and also monitoring the smooth implementation of all Government sponsored programmes like JVVT, IRDP, Self-employment scheme and TAHDCO etc.