Date:19/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/19/stories/2007081957430100.htm

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World Bank fund to improve PAP basin

G. Satyamurty

Coimbatore: The Aliyar and Palar sub-basins of the Parambikulam–Aliyar Project (PAP) in Coimbatore District have been selected under the Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation and Water Body Restoration and Management Project.

This World Bank-funded project gets an outlay of about Rs. 267 crore and will benefit 20,536 hectares under Aliyar and 1,53,695 hectares under Palar sub-basins.

According to Neeraj Mittal, Collector, this is part of the State-level project being implemented in 12 river sub-basins of nine districts as first phase. The objective is to improve water use efficiency and increase agricultural productivity along with additional benefits to the farming community. The project period is April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2013.

“The unique feature of this project is that it has an integrated and a multi-disciplinary approach”. It involves eight departments – Public Works, Agricultural Engineering, Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Agricultural Marketing, Fisheries and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

The lion’s share of outlay goes to the PWD. It would take up rehabilitation of canal lining, masonry structure, standardising canal bank roads, providing artificial recharge structure, installation of telemetry and measuring system and demarcation of canal boundaries at about Rs. 150 crore.

The Agricultural Engineering Department has been entrusted with micro-irrigation, farm mechanisation, water conveyance, farm ponds, and water harvesting structure formation at about Rs. 73 crore.

The Agriculture Department would conduct demonstrations on crop production technology, Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and organic farming in a bid to increase the productivity and production of agricultural crops at Rs. 7 crore.

The Horticulture Department would attempt to increase the area under horticulture crops, production and productivity of horticulture crops through INM and IPM demonstrations at an outlay of Rs. 4.55 crore.

The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University would get Rs. 17 crore for promoting water saving technologies by precision farming, increasing the crop and water productivity by improved production technology.

The Animal Husbandry department has been apportioned Rs. 3.59 crore for productivity enhancement by improved veterinary technology, increasing availability of green fodder and enhancing the knowledge level of human resources through outreach programmes.

The Fisheries Department has been allocated Rs. 28 lakh for aqua culture in farm pond and ornamental fish culture.