The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Aim is to cover more area under micro irrigation: Collector

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 17, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Aim is to cover more area under micro irrigation: Collector

Staff Reporter

Government extending huge subsidy to willing farmers

KARUR: Micro irrigation management techniques such as drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation systems are helpful not just in water management but also in labour resource management. As such, the governments are extending a huge quantum of subsidy to willing farmers for establishing the systems, according to the Collector, T.N. Venkatesh.

Addressing an awareness meet on ‘Drip irrigation in sugarcane cultivation” organised by the EID Parry Limited Sugar Mill here on Friday, Mr. Venkatesh observed that governments wanted to increase the area under micro irrigation management techniques.

During the current year, it has been proposed to bring a total of 1,158.62 hectares under micro irrigation system in the district. That includes 300 hectares of horticultural crops including medicinal herbs, 438.62 hectares of fruit trees, 300 hectares under sugar cane and 120 hectares of coconut groves, Mr. Venkatesh said.

For that, the governments were extending subsidy to the tune of Rs.2.91 crore. That included Rs. 86.40 lakh for horticulural crops, Rs.1.10 crore for fruit crops and Rs. 82.50 lakh for sugar cane.

The Collector said that during the preceding two years, only 269.37 hectares was covered and the subsidy disbursed to farmers totalled only Rs. 53.75 lakh. A total of 123 farmers benefited.

The Joint Director of Agriculture R. Duraiaraj said that so far a total of 234.14 hectares including 83 hectares of coconut groves, 66 hectares under sugar cane and 50 hectares under fruit crops have been brought under micro irrigation systems, benefitting 84 farmers.

The EID Parry India Limited AGM (Cane Extension) P. Nagarajan, AGM (R&D) K. Shanmugasundaram, Senior Manager (Cane Operations) P. Gopalakrishnan, Chief Scientist, Water Management Scheme, AC&RI, Madurai, S. Mahendran, Lead District Manager K. Chandrasekaran, Assistant Director of Horticulture Murugesan, and others spoke.

A large number of sugarcane growers from Karur and Erode districts participated in the awareness meet.

An exhibition of micro irrigation management systems was also organised.

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

Tamil Nadu