HASSAN: The Union Ministry of Rural Development has approved a Rs. 3.42-crore project under the Integrated Wasteland Development Programme (IWDP) for Arkalgud taluk of Hassan district. A total of 5,700 hectares of wasteland will be developed under the programme and the zilla panchayat (ZP) will implement the project in the next five years as per the guidelines of Hariyali scheme. Hassan is one among the five districts, which have been identified by the Union Government for implementing the IWDP, according to Chief Executive Officer of the zilla panchayat F.R. Jamadar.

Speaking to The Hindu , he said that the project cost comprises a Central share Rs. 313.5 lakhs and State share of Rs. 28.5 lakhs. The Union Government has sanctioned Rs. 47 lakhs as the first instalment and State Government will release Rs. 4.28 crores to the zilla panchayat in the next 15 days, he said.

The Union Ministry of Rural Development has approved this project in view of overall development of wastelands through afforestation, soil and water conservation, minimising soil erosion and checking land degradation. The major population of the project area belongs to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and lower income group and this programme will help in generating employment for them, he said.

This project will also help in checking migration to neighbouring states for livelihood, overcome the acute shortage of fuel and fodder and increase the crop yield per unit area in a sustainable manner. It will aid in afforestation in degraded forest land and augmenting the availability of forest products, fuels and fodder, improving fertility and productivity, developing pastures for cattle, checking transformation of cultivable crop land into uncultivable wasteland and recharging the water-table to create more irrigation potential under well irrigation.

Over 44 villages in Santemaroor, Yalagattavalli, Honnavalli, Kattimallenahalli, Vijapura Aranya, Vaddarahalli and Hebbale Gram Panchayats will be benefited from the programme, he said. Twelve watersheds — Madihalli, Mokali, Muttigehalli, Dadadahalli, Machagondanahalli, Arkalgud tank, Honnavalli, Annayakanahalli, Nelamanehall, Naigerehall, Maradihalla and Hongadahalla — will be developed under the programme "Hongadahalla Watershed", by constructing mini-tanks, check-dams, vented dams, farm ponds and cultivating plantation to check soil erosion, he said.

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