CUDDALORE: With financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank, the Tamil Nadu Government has sanctioned a string of projects to be implemented in the tsunami-devastated district. These include construction of two high-level bridges, roads, storm water drainage and renovation of fishing yards.

The focus of the ADB is on providing livelihood measures to women and the handicapped and to improve infrastructure.

In the wake of the visit of ADB Director General Kunio Senga to Cuddalore on Monday, the district administration released a statement listing out the projects to be taken up.

It stated that for implementing various livelihood projects, a sum of Rs.35.19 crore had been sanctioned. Under the programme, 1,000 new self-help groups would be formed in coastal areas and they would be imparted necessary training at a cost of Rs.2.66 crore.

While the existing SHGs would get an additional sum of Rs.20,000 as revolving funds, the new SHGs would get Rs.30,000 each, for which Rs.26 crore had been earmarked.

Industrial visits would also be organised for the SHGs. In 13 Panchayat Unions, 10,000 handicapped persons had been registered through special camps. To enable them to start self-help ventures, eligible candidates would get a financial assistance of Rs.15,000 each with Rs.10,000 as subsidy component.

A sum of Rs.50 lakh had been set apart for imparting training among the coastal community on how to face future calamities. Besides this, an amount of Rs.3.19 crore had been allocated to repair damaged public property. ADB funds to the tune of Rs.90.16 lakh would be utilised for construction of toilets and sanitary complexes. High-level bridges would be built across the Paravanar (linking Pachaiyankuppam to Sothikuppam) at a cost of Rs.13.85 crore, and across the Vellar (connecting Parangipettai and Killai) at a cost of Rs.9 crore.

The Ports Development Department had been assigned the task of taking preventive measures against disasters at a cost of Rs.14.41 crore.

The Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage Board would execute six projects at an estimated cost of Rs.12.55 crore to purify the ground water that had turned saline. The allocations for improving infrastructure and creating livelihood measures had been made as follows: Cuddalore municipality - Rs.21.95 crore, and Parangipettai and Killai Town Panchyats - Rs.10.72 crore.

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