For the smooth implementation of Idukki package as per the Swaminathan Commission report, there should be co-ordinated effort of different departments, P.T. Thomas M.P. has said.
Presiding over the district-level review meeting of the Idukki package at the collectorate conference hall in Painavu on Friday, he said that it has been noticed that there were price differences of farming implements supplied under the package by different departments and the middlemen were taking advantage in the process.
He said that a special officer has already been appointed for the implementation of the Idukki package and all departments should take care of submitting reports to the special officer regarding the package implementation.
He said that the project report of the 31 roads under the Prime Minister's Gramin Sadak Yojana hadbeen received. At the meeting, department heads explained the amount and the mode of spending it for the Idukki package. Under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund for road construction, Rs 50 crore has been spent during the current financial year. The soil Conservation Department which submitted a 126 crore initial project which has been revised later, has completed a project of Rs 188 crore in five clusters. Idukki and Azhutha blocks were selected in the first phase of the project implementation and Rs 15,000 each has been earmarked for a hectare of land for soil conservation measures and 10 percent of it will be borne from the State Budget.
Though coconut tree replanting project has been allotted Rs 25 lakh in the Agriculture Department, its benefit is confined to land below 500 ft above sea level as per the central government norm. Only areas in Thodupuzha and Elamdesam will benefit as per the norm and High Range areas will not get the benefit. The meeting also noted that there should be liberal application of the norm to benefit the scheme to the farmers in all areas of the district. An amount of Rs 519 crore has been allotted for sugarcane cultivation in Marayur-Kanthallur areas. The Tea Board has also decided to start small scale factories in Vagamon, Elappara and Kattappana. The coffee Board, which earmarked Rs 565 crore for project implementation, has spent Rs 50 crore. The Spices Board has already spent Rs 25.4 crore for promoting cardamom and pepper cultivation. It was also alleged that there was tardy implementation of the Idukki package due to a host of problems.
