THOOTHUKUDI: In a bid to address water scarcity faced by rain-fed crops during the yielding season, the district administration has devised a scheme to set up over 1,000 farm ponds in the rainfed tracks of Vilathikulam, Pudur, Ettayapuram, Kayathar and Kovilpatti using corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds. Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi launched the scheme at Vilathikulam here on Saturday.
The move is expected to benefit cultivation of pulses, maize, cotton, millets, chilly and oil seeds cultivated on an average of 1.45 lakh hectares in the rainfed track of the district during every rabi season.
Speaking on the sidelines of the scheme launch, Kanimozhi said that Thoothukudi district, despite being the third largest cultivator of maize in the state (47,275 hectares), has productivity lesser than the state average. "The declining productivity was discussed during a recent DISHA meeting. It was learnt that poor rainfall and water scarcity during yielding period - January and February -- was causing productivity loss for maize, thereby adversely affecting farmers’ remuneration," the MP added.
The farm ponds funded by the CSR funds will help in harnessing rainwater during the northeast monsoon and enable farmers to water the standing crops during the yielding period, she further said.
Interested farmers can approach the respective assistant directors of agriculture and horticulture departments.
Farmers can avail of farm ponds in five different capacities - 10x10x2 metres costing Rs 33,600, 12x12x2 metres worth Rs 42,000, 15x15x2 metres at Rs 58,800, 18x18x2 metres at Rs 79,200 and 20x20x2 metres costing Rs 94,800. The only condition is not to shift the sand excavated out of the agriculture fields, an agriculture officer said.
Collector K Elambahavath, Vilathikulam MLA GV Markandeyan, Thoothukudi Mayor Jegan Periyasamy and Agriculture Joint Director Periyasamy were present.