ALAPPUZHA: The Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, will inaugurate the Rs 200-crore `Kuttanad Comprehensive Development Project' at a function at Mancombu Paddy Research Centre on May 29 at 10 a.m.

The Agriculture Minister, K. R. Gouri, who announced this at a press conference here on Saturday said that the project aimed at developing the paddy cultivation of Kuttanad by developing the basic infrastructure of Kuttanad. The project which would be implemented in three stages mainly plans to develop the paddy fields of Kuttanad which have a total area of 33,000 hectares, said Ms Gouri.

The project is being implemented with the help of the NABARD.

The project would be coordinated and implemented by the Kerala Land Development Corporation which had formulated the draft of the project, said the Agriculture Minister. The detailed project is being prepared by NABCONS (NABARD consultancy service), the consultancy wing of the NABARD.

The project would be implemented in the three different sections of Kuttanad namely Upper, Lower and Lake parts of Kuttanad considering the geographical features of Kuttanad. Ms. Gouri said the NABCOS was yet to submit the final detailed project.

But as a beginning the project would be implemented in a limited area in Alappuzha district, said Ms Gouri.

She said the NABCONS would soon submit the detailed final project report to the State Government.

The project would be implemented in all parts of Kuttanad then, she said. The Minister pointed out that at present only one crop was possible from a considerable area of paddy fields in Kuttanad. Those fields are laid barren for a major part of the year, she said. The Kuttanad Development Project aimed to enable the farmers cultivate a second crop in an year.

In areas where it was not possible, encouragement would be given to farmers to cultivate fish along with paddy, she said.

Along with the development of paddy cultivation, the project would aim to solve the drinking water shortage faced by the people of Kuttanad and to solve the problem of power shortage in Kuttanad, said Ms Gouri.

The project would be implemented through Padasekahara Samithis (Committee of owners of paddy fields) in Kuttanad, said Ms Gouri.

Ms. Gouri herself would preside over the inaugural function on Sunday.

Those who would participate in the function include the former Chief Minister, A. K. Antony, the Tourism Minister, K. C. Venugopal, and Minister for Rural Development, C. F. Thomas.

Those who would offer felicitations include the MLAs, D. Sugathan and K. C. Joseph.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |