As part of the State’s efforts to attract tourist arrivals, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa inaugurated several facilities including a butterfly park at the Vandalur Zoo and a River Cauvery Interpretation Centre at Kallanai dam in Thanjavur.
She opened the works constructed at a cost of Rs. 18.95 crore through video conferencing. The project in Thanjavur, constructed at a cost of Rs. 3.26 crore also has a telescope, an aquarium, improved park and lawns and children’s play area.
In Theni, the Rs. 3.67 crore projectat the Vaigai dam site has an aquarium, rest area, children’s play area, lighting, toilets and pedal boats.
Thalavaipatti in Salem district and Palayamkottai in Tirunelveli district get zonal art and culture centres that will house art and culture office, district music school and Tamil Nadu Jawahar Bal Bhavan. . The Chief Minister also inaugurated buildings including a new men’s hostel for the Thuvakudi State Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology in Tiruchy to house 60 students at a cost of Rs. 2 crore and a Rs. 1.89 crore building for the Government Music College in Coimbatore.
The Government Museum in Chennai got a new visual storage gallery constructed at a cost of Rs. 63 lakh. Ms. Jayalalithaa also launched nine publications including one on the murals and wooden carvings of Thirupadaimarudhur, the Amaravathy Gallery of the Chennai Museum and a manual of the bronze gallery of the museum. She also released palm leaf manuscripts transcriptions from the Saptarishi naadi pertaining to Mesha Lagnam, Mithuna Lagnam, Kadaga Lagnam, Simha Lagnam, Kanya Lagnam and Vrishaba Lagnam.