Kerala - Kollam   

Tsunami: ADB aid comes to a close

KOLLAM: The operation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) component in the Tsunami Rehabilitation Project (TRP) came to a close on October 31. The ADB component in the TRP was known as the Tsunami Emergency Assistance Programme (TEAP).

With the curtains down on TEAP, the ADB is winding up all its activities in all TRP-associated programmes in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The total TRP outlay for Kerala was Rs.1,441.75 crore.

Apart from the ADB, the TRP consisted of two other components: the Central government component and the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) component.

The TEAP outlay for Kerala from the ADB was Rs.255.7 crore. There were 50,000 beneficiaries. The outlay comprised a grants component of Rs.107.5 crore and a loans component of Rs.148.2 crore. The break-up of the grants component allocation was Rs.39.5 crore for the Fisheries Department, Rs.58 crore for the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) and Rs.9 crore for the Disaster Management Department. Since the KWA could not utilize Rs. 4 crore from its allocation, the amount was later transferred to the Fisheries Department’s allocation. The Fisheries Department received a grant of Rs.21 crore from the Central component and another Rs.21.21 crore from the PMNRF component. TRP sources told The Hindu that the Fisheries Department brought about a revolution of sorts in the fisheries sector through TEAP. Fisheries livelihood improvement projects were the most important among them. They said under TEAP, the Fisheries Department created 1,260 micro-enterprises by organising women activity groups.

A sum of Rs.11.66 crore was used for the purpose and the micro-enterprises comprised 35 different projects by women. More than 6,000 women stood to benefit from them as a means of livelihood. Hygienic fish drying concept was introduced in the fishing sector and fish dried through the method was highly popular.

Other projects introduced in the fisheries sector under TEAP included working capital for a revolving fund, super markets managed by women from the fisheries sector, a sea rescue programme, dry fish value addition units, and supply of 200 vehicles to women for transporting fresh fish to markets and fish kiosks.

The loan component was allocated to the Public Works Department (Rs.85.8 crore), the Harbour Engineering Department (Rs.37.6 crore) and the Kerala State Electricity Board (Rs.24.8 crore). While the HED and the KSEB spent the grant fully, the PWD could spend only Rs.62.2 crore for roads and bridges. The remaining amount got lapsed because of shortcomings on the part of a contractor involved in the construction of a bridge at Ayiramthengu, sources said.

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