Tamil Nadu Current Affairs 2024 [January to December]
Here is a quick and easy way to stay updated on all the important happenings in Tamil Nadu throughout the year. Each month, we will provide you with brief and simple one-liners that capture the key events, decisions, and developments in the state. Whether it’s a new policy, a major event, or an important announcement, you’ll find it all here in a straightforward and easy-to-understand format.
This blog is especially important for students preparing for the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) exams. Staying current with local news is crucial for these exams, and our one-liners will help you quickly review and remember key points. Perfect for students, teachers, and anyone interested in keeping up with the latest State Current Affairs, our blog is your go-to source for competitive exams preparation. Let’s dive into the current affairs of 2024, month by month!
November 2024
Tamil Nadu Declares Heat Waves as State-Specific Disaster
- The Tamil Nadu Government has officially notified heat waves as a state-specific disaster. This move allows the government to provide relief to affected populations using the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
Google and Aurolab Collaborate for Diabetic Retinopathy Screenings
- Google has partnered with Aurolab, a Madurai-based organization, to support AI-driven healthcare solutions. This collaboration aims to conduct diabetic retinopathy screenings in resource-limited communities.
India Post Commemorates 121st Anniversary of Madras Veterinary College
- In November 2024, the Department of Posts (DoP) celebrated the 121st anniversary of Madras Veterinary College (MVC) by releasing a special postal cover at the MVC campus in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Space Kidz India Launches ‘ShakthiSAT Mission’
- Space Kidz India, an aerospace startup from Chennai, launched the ‘ShakthiSAT Mission’ to empower 12,000 girls across 108 countries. The mission focuses on training girls in space technology and promoting STEM education.
Tamil Nadu’s Contribution to India’s Direct Tax Revenue
- As per the SBI Research report, Tamil Nadu contributed 6.5% to India’s direct tax revenue in the fiscal year 2023-24. Maharashtra retained the top position with 38.9%, followed by Karnataka and Delhi.
Vajra Shot Anti-Drone Gun Showcased at NIIO Seminar
- The Vajra Shot, an anti-drone gun developed by Big Bang Boom Solutions (a Chennai-based startup), was showcased at the Swavlamban 2024 Seminar organized by the Indian Navy in New Delhi.
NLC India Achieves 5-Star Rating for Lignite and Coal Mining
- NLC India Limited (NLCIL), headquartered in Neyveli, Tamil Nadu, received top scores and a 5-star rating for its lignite and coal-based open-cast mines in the 2022-23 survey.
Tamil Nadu Institutes Shine in Global Rankings
In global university rankings:
- IIT Bombay (Mumbai) ranked 48th.
- IIT Madras (Chennai) ranked 56th.
These are the top three Indian universities on the global list.
Aravindh Chithambaram Wins Chennai Grandmasters Title
- Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram won the Masters title at the 2nd Chennai Grandmasters 2024 held at Anna Centenary Library, Chennai. He defeated GM Levon Aronian in the tiebreak finals.
September-October 2024
- A set of copper plate inscriptions dating back to the 16th Century CE were found in the Sri Singeeswarar temple, Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu.
- The Samanatham tank in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, is set to be converted into a bird sanctuary by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department.
- Nokia is set to sign a deal to establish the world’s largest fixed network testbed in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
- A new spider species, ‘Carrhotus piperus’, has been identified in Tamil Nadu.
- Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan have been recognized as the fastest-growing large states in India by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
- Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) signed four MoUs with Tamil Nadu Physical and Sports University, VIT Chennai, Woxsen University, and Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology.
- Tamil Nadu secured second place in the State Food Safety Index (SFSI) 2024 (6th edition), moving up from third last year, while Jammu and Kashmir clinched third.
- Gingee Fort, located in Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu, has been nominated for UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list as part of the Maratha Military Landscapes proposal, which includes 11 other forts.
August 2024
🔘 India harvests approximately 33,345 tonnes of seaweeds annually from natural beds, primarily in Tamil Nadu, involving 5,000 families.
🔘 India has recently increased its tally of Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) to 85, up from 82, by designating three more wetlands as Ramsar Sites. One of these is the Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary, located in Tamil Nadu.
🔘 A terracotta pipeline has been recently discovered at Keeladi, Tamil Nadu, indicating an ancient water management practice used at least 2,600 years ago.
🔘 Union Minister Rajnath Singh has released a commemorative coin to mark the birth anniversary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Muthuvel Karunanidhi. The denomination of the coin is Rs. 100.
🔘 The 25th Director General of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Rakesh Pal, has recently passed away in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
July 2024
- Schneider Electric India Private Limited has been honored with the Golden Peacock Award 2024 for exceptional energy efficiency initiatives at its plant in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
- The Union Government has recommended site clearance to Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO) for a greenfield airport at Parandur, Kancheepuram.
- Vaylaga Vanol, Madurai, Tamil Nadu won the Second Prize in Most Innovative Community Engagement Award at the 10th National Community Radio Awards for “Let’s Build a New Norm”.
- Radio Kotagiri, Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu secured the Second Prize in Promoting Local Culture Award at the 10th National Community Radio Awards for “En Makkaludan Oru Payanam”.
June 2024
- The keel-laying ceremony of the second Cadet Training Ship (Yard – 18004) was held at Larsen & Toubro Shipyard, Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu.
- Garuda Aerospace has unveiled the country’s first-ever exclusive drone showroom in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
- Tamil Nadu has launched the “Mannuyir Kaathu Mannuyir Kaappom” scheme to improve the health and fertility of the soil.
- 10 artificial islands are being built in Kavinadu Kanmoi, an irrigation tank in Tamil Nadu.
- Oracle has teamed up with Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation to enhance IT skills among the state’s youth through the Naan Mudhalvan program.
- The Union Cabinet has approved the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for the installation and commissioning of 1 GW of offshore wind energy projects in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced plans to build a new international airport with a capacity to handle 3 crore passengers per year at Hosur.
May 2024
- A new species of marine tardigrade, ‘Batillipes chandrayaani’, has been discovered in Tamil Nadu.
- The Koothandavar festival, which plays out a tale of marriage and widowhood, was recently celebrated in Tamil Nadu.
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the first ignition test on the Semi Cryogenic Pre-Burner Ignition Test Article in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
- The Tamil Nadu state government has taken steps to denotify the boundaries of the Pulicat Bird Sanctuary, which includes 13 revenue villages.
- Inscriptions indicating the existence of a major trade route over 1,000 years ago have been found at the Sri Madhava Perumal Temple in Tamil Nadu.
- The Tamil Nadu Highways department has undertaken a project known as ‘slope stabilisation using soil nailing and Hydroseeding method’.
- The Tamil Nadu state government has issued new guidelines to implement the PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) scheme to encourage farmers to install solar energy-powered pump sets.
- A three-day-long elephant census has commenced at the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.
April 2024
- The 125th anniversary of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO) has been celebrated. This observatory is located in Tamil Nadu.
- The Ponkaliamman festival was recently celebrated in Tamil Nadu.
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is developing a new spaceport at Kulasekharapatnam, Tamil Nadu, to launch payloads to polar orbits efficiently.
- Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently informed that a new plant will start producing forged wheels for Vande Bharat trains. This plant is being set up at Gummidipoondi, Tamil Nadu.
- According to the recently released ‘Patenting Trends in India Report 2024’ by NASSCOM, Tamil Nadu has filed the maximum number of patents during FY23.
- The Tamil Nadu government is conducting a three-day synchronised survey of the Nilgiri Tahr.
- The Chithirai festival was recently celebrated in Tamil Nadu.
March 2024
- PM Narendra Modi witnessed the commencement of “Core Loading” at India’s first indigenous Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, with a capacity of 500 MWe.
- A Neolithic ancient burial site of a child with a pot beside it has been discovered at Chettimedu Pathur village in Tamil Nadu.
- The Tamil Nadu state government has launched the ‘Neengal Nalama’ (Are you fine?) scheme.
- Tata Motors has signed a MoU with Tamil Nadu to invest around ₹9,000 crore to build a vehicle manufacturing facility.
- The Tamil Nadu state government has decided to enter into a MoU with the Union Ministry of Education to implement the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme.
- According to the “Netted in illegal wildlife trade: Sharks of India” report by TRAFFIC and WWF-India, Tamil Nadu accounted for the highest illegal trade in shark body parts between January 2010 and December 2022.
- A new lizard species, ‘Cnemaspis vangoghi’, has been discovered in Tamil Nadu.
February 2024
- The Ministry of Culture informed that the “Maratha Military Landscapes of India” will be India’s nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage List for 2024-25, including a total of 12 forts, with Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu being one of them.
- The Tamil Nadu state government has introduced guidelines for the “Ungalai Thedi, Ungal Ooril” (Come Look For You, In Your Village) outreach program.
- The Tamil Nadu state government has announced the launch of the Kalaignar sports kit scheme.
- The Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary has been declared the 18th wildlife sanctuary of Tamil Nadu, located in Erode district.
- The Government of India has invited bids for the development of off-shore wind energy with a total capacity of 4 GW off the coast of Tamil Nadu. The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is responsible for its implementation.
- The GRAPES-3 (Gamma Ray Astronomy PeV EnergieS phase-3) experiment, located in Ooty, has discovered a new feature in the cosmic-ray proton spectrum at about 166 tera-electron-volt (TeV) energy.
- The Tamil Nadu state government has announced the launch of the “Chief Minister’s Thayumanavar Scheme” and the “Kalaignarin Kanavu Illam” scheme.
- PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the New Composite TB Research Facility in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu.
- PM Narendra Modi participated in the program ‘Creating the Future – Digital Mobility for Automotive MSME Entrepreneurs’ in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
- PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the second spaceport of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu.
- The Tamil Nadu Endangered Species Conservation Fund (TNESCF) has been established with a total corpus of Rs 50 crore to protect the purple frog and other lesser-known endangered species.
Tamil Nadu State Budget 2024-25: Highlights
Development Initiatives
- Vada Chennai Valarchi Thittam: Announced for developing North Chennai at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore.
- Film City: To be established at Poonamallee near Chennai for Rs 500 crore.
Education and Welfare Schemes
- Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme: Extended to government-aided schools in rural areas, benefiting around 2.5 lakh students enrolled from classes one to five.
- Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Puthumai Penn Scheme: Provides financial assistance of Rs 1000 each month to girl students pursuing higher education; extended to girl students from government-aided Tamil medium schools.
- Tamizh Pudhalvan Scheme: Announced to help boy students from marginalized backgrounds pursue higher education at an outlay of Rs 360 crore.
- Tholkudi Scheme: Introduced to improve the living standards of tribal communities at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore.
- Thozhi Hostels: New hostels to be established for women in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai at an estimated cost of Rs 26 crore.
Infrastructure and Cultural Projects
- Olympic Academies: Four to be set up in Chennai, Madurai, Trichy, and Nilgiris with an allocation of Rs 440 crore for Youth Welfare and Sports Development.
- Kalaignar International Convention Centre: To be constructed in Muttukadu in Chennai.
- New Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi: Named ‘Vaigai’, to be established for Rs 257 crore, following traditional Dravidian architectural design.
Textile Industry
- Mini Textile Parks: 10 to be established in Karur, Erode, and Virudhunagar at Rs 20 crore.
Recent Development Projects in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu
Foundation Stone and Inaugurations by PM Narendra Modi
- Total Worth: Over Rs 17,300 crores
V.O.Chidambaranar Port Projects
- Outer Harbor Container Terminal: Foundation stone laid.
- Aim: Transforming V.O.Chidambaranar Port into a transhipment hub for the East coast.
- Green Hydrogen Hub Projects: Inaugurated to make V.O.Chidambaranar Port the first Green Hydrogen Hub Port in the country.
- Projects include a desalination plant, hydrogen production, and bunkering facility.
Harit Nauka Initiative
- Green Hydrogen Fuel Cell Inland Waterway Vessel: Launched.
- Manufacturer: Cochin Shipyard.
Tourism and Infrastructure
- Tourist Facilities: Dedicated in 75 lighthouses across 10 States/UTs.
- Rail Projects: Dedicated for the doubling of Vanchi Maniyachchi – Nagercoil rail line, including Vanchi Maniyachchi – Tirunelveli section and Melappalayam – Aralvaymoli section.
- Road Projects: Four road projects in Tamil Nadu, developed at a total cost of about Rs 4,586 Crore.
- Four-laning of the Jittandahalli-Dharmapuri section of NH-844.
- Two-laning with paved shoulders of the Meensurutti-Chidambaram section of NH-81.
- Four-laning of the Oddanchatram-Madathukulam section of NH-83.
- Two-laning with paved shoulders of the Nagapattinam-Thanjavur section of NH-83.
January 2024
- PM Shri Narendra Modi attended the 38th Convocation Ceremony of Bharathidasan University in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu.
- Jallikattu, the traditional bull-taming sport, recently commenced in Tamil Nadu.
- The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras; Guidance Tamil Nadu; and Hyundai Motor India signed a MoU to establish a Hydrogen Valley Innovation Hub in Chennai.
- The 2023-2024 National Equestrian Championship in Dressage will be held in Auroville, Tamil Nadu.
- Thiruvalluvar Day, which honours the poet Thiruvalluvar and is part of Pongal celebrations, was celebrated on 16 January 2024 in Tamil Nadu. Thiruvalluvar is best known for authoring the Tirukkural, a collection of ethical couplets written in Tamil.
- PM Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 6th Khelo India Youth Games 2023 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The official mascot of the games is Veera Mangai.
- PM Shri Narendra Modi prayed at the Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Tamil Nadu, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
- The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is where poet Kambar first publicly presented his Ramayan, known as “Kamba Ramayan.”
- In the 75th Republic Day Parade 2024, Tamil Nadu’s tableau depicting the Kudavolai System in ancient Tamil Nadu, known as the Mother of Democracy, was awarded third place in the Judge’s Choice category.
