Perambalur district

The district lies in the southern plateau and hill zone of agro-climate regional planning with characteristics of semi-arid climate and the world class black granite in Pachai Malai hills. The soil is predominantly red loamy and black soil. The normal rainfall of the district is 908 mm which is less than 946.9 mm, the normal rainfall of the State. The precipitation during northeast monsoon, southwest monsoon and remaining winter & hot weather period account for 52%, 34% and 14% of annual rainfall, respectively.

Cauvery is the major river flowing in the region and the composite district has a canal system covering just 47 km stretch and ayacut of 11,610 ha. The ground water resource through tubewells and wells contribute nearly 68% of irrigated area command. The major crops grown in the district are paddy, groundnut, sugarcane and millets. Cashew is the major plantation crop. Now the major cultivation is small Onion, totally 24% in Tamil Nadu i.e. first place in Tamil Nadu. The Onion cultivation villages are Erattai malai sandhu (Kelakarai), Nakkasalem, Ammapalayam, Siruvayalur, Chettikulam, Kalarampatty, Esanai, Melapuliyur, Navalur, K.Pudur, Arumbavur, Irur, Alathur, Padalur and etc.

Agriculture is the main occupation of the people in the district

Currently, Perambalur district is the top maize and Onion (small) producer in Tamil Nadu, with 27% and 50% of the state's share respectively.[3]

Perambalur is planning to set up multi-product SEZ over an area of 5000 acres (20 km²) specializing in high-technology by SREI Infrastructure Finance Ltd through a joint venture with TIDCO (Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation). The SEZ will have linkages to Cuddalore, Pondicherry and Chennai ports, railway line and Tiruchirapalli Airport. This SEZ will bring in high-technology industries, MROs, biotechnology, pharmaceutical companies, textile & leather clusters. The project is being developed with world-class infrastructure to be able to compete with the best investment centres in the world. Perambalur SEZ has a large hinterland that offers huge labour force. The SEZ is well connected with all major cities/regions of the country with excellent road/rail network. The SEZ will focus on testing & certification facilities, warehouses, and infrastructure on demand etc. In addition, residential & recreational complexes are planned within the SEZ.

Visvakkudi dam is located in Visvakudi, Tamil Nadu. Visvakkudi dam is constructed across Kallar River, between Vayalar hills and Semmalai. The reservoir can hold 30.67 million cubic feet of water. The dam is 615 metres long. There will be two sluices and radial shutters will be fixed on the two sluices.

The district for administrative purpose has been divided into four taluks (Perambalur taluk, Kunnam taluk, Alathur taluk, Perambalur, Veppanthattai taluk) which is further sub-divided into four blocks viz. Perambalur, Veppanthattai, Veppur, Alathur. The district comprises 121 village panchayats, four town panchayats (Kurumbalur, Arumbavur, Poolambadi, Labbaikudikadu) and one municipality.

According to 2011 census, Perambalur district had a population of 565,223 with a sex-ratio of 1,003 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.[4] A total of 59,567 were under the age of six, constituting 31,135 males and 28,432 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 33.01% and .46% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the district was 66.49%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.[4] The district had a total of 149,243 households. There were a total of 299,726 workers, comprising 107,542 cultivators, 91,135 main agricultural labourers, 4,365 in house hold industries, 52,055 other workers, 44,629 marginal workers, 9,762 marginal cultivators, 27,143 marginal agricultural labourers, 978 marginal workers in household industries and 6,746 other marginal workers.[5]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Perambalur district.

• Perambalur District