TN CM plans to develop Sirumalai as tourist spot

Palaniswami inaugurated the show in the presence of state Forest Minister Dindigul Sreenivasan and state Agriculture Minister Duraikannu. He went through the Bryant Park, where the show is being conducted and saw the structures, such as elephants, jallikattu bulls and so on, made with the help of flowers.

Speaking at the inauguration, Palaniswami mentioned that Dindigul Sreenivasan and former ministers had demanded him to develop tourism in Sirumalai, another hill station in Dindigul district.

Considering their demands the state tourism department would carry out extensive studies and would develop tourism, the CM said.

He also said that in all the three hill stations, including Yercaud and Udhagamandalam, the flower shows have been arranged in a manner to attract tourists and this year more number of tourists are expected to visit Kodaikanal to witness the flower show.

This year the flower show is made with more than 25,000 flowers. Also he had inaugurated a rose garden worth Rs 10 crore where with the help of 1,500 varieties of roses 15,000 rose plants would be kept in the rose garden.

Also an Amphi theatre would be constructed for the benefit of tourists. Rs 6.8 crore had been allotted for Bryant Park to construct an information and communication centre, a horticulture office, new toilets, revamping the compound walls and to construct canteen.

This year Rs 1 crore had been allotted for the park and in the fund the children’s park would be revamped. Also CCTV cameras would be set up and parking area would be constructed, said Palaniswami.

He further said that in the field of education there was revolution in the state as in the last seven years of AIADMK rule 116 primary schools had been made middle schools and similarly 829 middle schools had been made high schools. 402 high schools were made higher secondary schools by the government.

By increasing the standards of the schools the retention percentage and the percentage of students studying in the schools increased. Because the schools were enhanced 99.85 percentage of students in primary schools, 99.11 percentage of students in middle schools, 93.15 percentage of students in high school and 77.64 percentage of students in higher secondary schools were retained. Also in higher education 76 colleges have been constructed in the last seven years, said Palaniswami.