The Hindu Business Line : World Bank project to boost agri sector

The Agriculture Modernisation and Water Bodies Restoration and Management Project, is to be taken up in the Chinnaru sub-basin and will give a push to increasing agricultural productivity, farm mechanisation and overall growth of the agriculture and a llied sectors in the district.

The soil in the district is best suited for raising dry crops, though paddy is raised in a substantial area. Sugarcane is the main commercial crop of the district. The Rs 8.23 crore project will be implemented over a period of three years and seeks to stabilise and ensure full irrigation in the basin’s ayacut area of 3,006 hectares.

It would also seek to reduce the area of cultivation of water intensive crops, such as paddy, and encourage farmers to go in for pulses, maize, cotton, onion, horticulture and other vegetables that require lesser water supply.

Eight Government departments will execute the project. The information, education and communication (IEC) activities to sensitise the farmers about the scheme has just commenced.

A bulk of the funds, Rs 5.36 crore, would go to the Water Resources Organisation of the Public Works Department for strengthening the irrigation infrastructure in the river sub-basin. As many as 34 major tanks, nine anaicuts, their inlet channels and irrigation canals in 32 villages would be desilted and provided with concrete linings under the project. The bunds of the canals and weirs and shutters would also be strengthened.

The Agriculture Department has been sanctioned Rs11.92 lakh for encouraging farmers to go for dry crops such as onions and sunflowers. As part of the scheme, model agricultural farms would be established on 50 acres in select places. The Horticulture Department would encourage farmers to raise fruits such as tissue-culture banana, mangoes and vegetables such as chillies, tomato and turmeric. Farm implements such as drip irrigation/sprinkler systems and combined harvesters would be supplied at subsidised rates to farmers through the Agriculture Engineering Department, which has been allotted Rs 1.10 crore.

Training would be provided to the farmers on modern cultivation practices and about drought-resistant crops through the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. Guidance would be given to the agriculturists by the Animal Husbandry Department on the ways to increase milk and meat production.

The officials of the Fisheries Department would lend their expertise on fish rearing in inland tanks and ponds.

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