PURA

Our integrated activity under the aegis of POWER, revolves around over 65 villages near Vallam, Thanjavur district of Tamilnadu, which has been transformed as a PURA Cluster. The center of activity emanates from our Periyar PURA Hub, which is located in the campus of Periyar Maniammai College of Technology for Women that provides the electronic and knowledge connectivity. This PURA cluster is operated under a new mission mode management style with no Protective legislations as envisaged by our Honourable President Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam. This PURA complex has all the three connectivity - Physical connectivity, which has a circular road and interconnecting roads covering major villages along with bus transport system, electronic connectivity through wireless technology and knowledge connectivity through its academic background - leading to economic connectivity to the 65 villages.

Our PURA cluster is provided with electronic and knowledge connectivity and has health care centers, primary to post graduate level education and vocational training centers. This has resulted in large-scale employment generation and creation of number of entrepreneurs with the active support of 1150 Self Help Groups.

What does our Honorable President of India say about Periyar PURA?

"Recently I had visited Periyar Maniammai College of Technology for Women and inaugurated a PURA Complex. I thought of sharing with you the developmental concept of a cluster of over 60 villages near Vallam, Thanjavur district of Tamilnadu that involves a population of 3 lakhs. This PURA complex has all three connectivity - physical, electronic and knowledge - leading to economic connectivity. The centre of activity emanates from the women engineering college that provides the electronic and knowledge connectivity. Periyar PURA has health care centers, primary to post graduate level education and vocational training centers. This has resulted in large-scale employment generation and creation of number of entrepreneurs with the active support of 850 Self Help Groups. Two hundred acres of wasteland has been developed into a cultivable land with innovative water management schemes such contour ponds and water sheds for storing and irrigating the fields.  

All the villagers are busy in cultivation, planting Jatropha, herbal and medicinal plants, power generation using biomass, food processing and above all running market centers. This model has emanated independent of any government initiative. This gives me the confidence that PURA is a reliable proposition and this movement can be multiplied by thousands of entrepreneurs, educational administrators and philanthropic institutions with the support of the government agencies."

(EXTRACT FROM THE ADDRESS OF HIS EXCELENCY PRESIDENT OF INDIA Dr.A.P.J.ABDUL KALAM DURING THE INAUGURATION OF SYMPOSIUM ON UNCOMMON OPPORTUNITIES: A ROADMAP FOR EMPLOYMENT, FOOD & GLOBAL SECURITY AT NEW DELHI ON 20.11.2004)