The State government has nominated Thanjavur MP S.S. Palanimanickam, Tiruvarur MLA Poondi K. Kalaivanan and Mannargudi legislator T.R.B. Rajaa as members of the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Authority (TNPAZDA). The nominations were made under various provisions of the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act, 2020.
Former Rajya Sabha MP R.Vaithilingam and former Ministers O.S. Manian and R. Kamaraj were the nominated members in the panel earlier. However, the tenure of the legislators expired as on May 3 last year and also the tenure of the MP expired as on May 5 following his resignation.
The State government enacted the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act, 2020 to convert Thanjavur, Nagapattinam (Mayiladuthurai is now a new district) and Tiruvarur districts and a few blocks in Pudukottai and Cuddalore districts into a Protected Agricultural Zone.
