The Tamil Nadu government has more than tripled its funding between 2016 and 2018 for the Kudimaramathu scheme to restore water bodies in the State, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said.
Tabling the policy note of the PWD department- Irrigation in the State Assembly on Monday, the Chief Minister said “for the year 2017-18, estimates have been revised in a comprehensive manner for 1,511 works at a cost of ₹328.95 crore”. Previously, it was ₹100 crore in 2016-17.
This includes all components required for rehabilitation of tanks, including GST. The Chief Minister said administrative sanction had been accorded for the works to be carried out in 29 districts.
In 2016-17, the government launched the Kudimaramathu scheme on a pilot basis across 30 districts, that included maintenance works in supply channels, canals, tanks, shutters, strengthening and reconstruction of surplus weirs and sluices.
The Tamil Nadu Government is also taking all steps to complete the first review of the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP), a multi-valley, multi-purpose project (for the diversion of eight west flowing rivers), Mr. Palaniswami said.
Mr. Palaniswami said the technical committee comprising engineers from both Tamil Nadu and Kerala, to identify the areas where amendments may be required in the agreement, submitted its report in May 2003. “The report was discussed in the subsequent inter-State meetings,” he said adding that the two States were engaged in discussions on the issue.
He also said a committee that was directed to submit its report within a period of six months for a project to divert 2.5 Tmcft of water from the Anamalayar to Tamil Nadu has commenced its work.
