The Tamil Nadu Government has sanctioned ₹853.96 crore for water supply and sewerage projects in small towns and cities, according to an official press release. The projects under Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns comprise ₹441.46 crore for providing underground sewerage systems in six towns – Periyakulam, Sattur, Mettur, Arakkonam, Tirupattur and Chidambaram. Drinking water supply projects totalling ₹412.50 crore are planned in Arni, Periyakulam, Thiruvettipuram and Tindivanam. The State Government has also approved a ₹230-crore drinking water project for Tirunelveli Corporation with ₹11.10 crore a year operation and maintenance cost. The project will be funded by the German Development Bank. To strengthen the drinking water supply to Chennai, the reservoir at Thervoy Kandigai in Thiruvallur district to the North of Chennai will be linked to Poondi Reservoir through the Kandaleru-Poondi canal at a cost of ₹93.77 crore under the Tamil Nadu Investment Promotion Programme. The project will be implemented by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, the release said.