18th MARCH 2026 ENGLISH TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS PDF TNPSC SHOUTERS
Tamil Nadu Surpasses Gujarat to Secure Top Spot in India's Textile Exports
- According to statistics released based on 'NIRYAT' data, Tamil Nadu's total textile export value for the year 2024-25 has been recorded at $7,997.17 million—reaching a pinnacle that remains unmatched by any other state in India.
- Tamil Nadu's textile exports, which stood at a mere $6,193.39 million during the previous administration in 2020-21, have witnessed a phenomenal surge over the past four years since Chief Minister M.K. Stalin assumed office.
- Driven by special incentives provided by the government to key textile hubs—including Tiruppur, Coimbatore, and Erode—as well as initiatives focused on labor welfare, exports have registered a remarkable growth of 29 percent compared to previous years, thereby reaching the $7,997.17 million mark.
- Through its exemplary performance, the government led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has significantly outpaced Gujarat and Maharashtra—states that often project themselves as the frontrunners in industrial development.
- The rankings in this list are as follows:
- Tamil Nadu – $7,997.17 million (First Place)
- Gujarat – $5,646.01 million (Second Place)
- Maharashtra – $3,831.28 million (Third Place)
- Uttar Pradesh – $3,679.5 million (Fourth Place)
- By exporting approximately $2,351 million more in value than Gujarat, Tamil Nadu has conclusively proven that it is, indeed, the textile capital of India. Regarding the status of other states, states such as Madhya Pradesh (1,324.97), West Bengal (921.95), and Rajasthan (855.37) lag behind significantly.
- In South India, Tamil Nadu stands out as a veritable giant, surpassing states like Andhra Pradesh (506.42), Kerala (434.14), and Telangana (111.09). Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's visionary initiatives—such as fostering an "ease of doing business" environment, attracting investments worth thousands of crores through the Global Investors Meet, and implementing a scheme to establish new mini-textile parks—are the driving forces behind this monumental success.
- A meeting of the Union Cabinet was held under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. During this meeting, approval was granted to allocate funds amounting to ₹1,718.56 crore to the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) with the aim of safeguarding the welfare of cotton farmers and ensuring a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce.
- This measure has been undertaken with the objective of enabling India to achieve self-reliance in the textile sector by encouraging cotton cultivation and establishing a robust procurement infrastructure.
- The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the ‘Small Hydro Power (SHP) Development Scheme for the period FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31’ with an outlay of Rs.2584.60 crore for installation of Small Hydro Power (SHP) Projects of an approximate capacity of 1500 MW.
- The scheme will support small hydro projects (between 1-25 MW capacity) to come up in different states and will especially benefit hilly and North Eastern states with high potential for such projects.
- In North Eastern States and in districts with international border, central financial assistance to the tune of Rs.3.6 crore per MW or 30%of the project cost, whichever is lower with an upper limit of Rs.30 crore per project will be available.
- In other states Rs.2.4 crore per MW or 20% of project cost, whichever is lower with a cap of Rs.20 crore per project would be available. This will help in tapping the small hydro potential in remote and difficult to reach locations.
- An amount of Rs. 2,532 crore has been earmarked for such projects. This is likely to bring in Rs. 15,000 crore of investment in the small hydro sector giving a boost to the clean energy initiative, investment in remote and rural areas and creating significant employment opportunities.
- The investment will also leverage 100% of the plant and machinery from indigenous sources fulfilling the objective of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
- In a landmark step towards accelerating industrial growth, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna (BHAVYA), with an allocation of Rs.33,660 crore for developing 100 plug-and-play industrial parks across the country.
- The scheme aims to develop world-class industrial infrastructure, unlocking manufacturing potential and driving India’s growth story.
- Building on the success of Industrial Smart Cities developed under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) framework, BHAVYA will be implemented in partnership with states and private sector players.
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved construction of 4-Lane Access-Controlled National Highway-927 from Barabanki to Bahraich (101.515 km) in Uttar Pradesh on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at a cost of Rs.6969.04 crore.
- The proposed upgradation of the Barabanki–Bahraich section of NH-927 in Uttar Pradesh will address severe geometric deficiencies, sharp curves, and congestion in built-up areas across Barabanki and Bahraich district.
- Designed as an access-controlled 4-lane highway with continuous service roads, the project will bypass major habitations, increase average travel speeds, reduce travel time to about one hour, and improve overall road safety, fuel efficiency, and vehicle operating costs, thereby enhancing regional mobility and socio-economic development.
