Special Area Development Programme

Established through G.O.Ms.No:40, PD&SI Department, dated 04.03.2016, the State Level Technical Cell for the Hill Areas of Tamil Nadu (STCHA) operates under the State Planning Commission and is administered by the Tamil Nadu State Land Use Research Board (TNSLURB). This cell is dedicated to the administration and on-field implementation of the Special Area Development Programme (SADP). SADP focuses on the buffer zones adjacent to protected forest areas, emphasizing soil and water conservation, biodiversity, afforestation, forest conservation, and protection, with a targeted impact on the hilly areas across 11 districts. Unit-I, under the leadership of the Project Director in Udhagamandalam, focuses on The Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Erode Districts, while Unit-II, headed by the Head of Division (Land Use) at the State Planning Commission in Chennai, targets the hilly regions of Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Kanyakumari.

Presently, the State Planning Commission is no longer responsible for implementing the program. SADP unit is overseeing the implementation. For more information, visit