Two watershed projects for Palakkad

Two watershed development projects will be implemented in Vallapuzha village in Ottapalam taluk and Kulakkattukuruzhi in Sreekrishnapuram with a Central allotment of Rs.6 crore.The Vallapuzha watershed project covers a total area of 1,938 hectares, of which 1,800 hectares are treatable land. Of the 3,411 hectares, under the Kulakkattukuruzhi project, 3,200 hectares are treatable.The Vallapuzha project has been allotted an amount of Rs.2.16 crore and the Kulakkattukuruzhi project, an amount of Rs.3.84 crore.Nodal officer of the project C. Jose Varghese, Deputy Director, Agriculture Department, said that the scheme had an integrated approach of community development and implementing self-employment programmes, apart from soil and water conservation. It would cover all farmers in the watersheds taken up for implementation. The two projects were allotted to the district under the National Watershed Development Projects of the Central government for implementation in the 11th Five Year Plan.Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) will be identified for the project in consultation with the State government.The full responsibility of overseeing the watershed projects within the district is with the District Watershed Development Units, which will work in close collaboration with the District Planning Committee.The PIAs would provide the necessary technical guidance to grama panchayats for preparation of development plans for the watersheds through Participatory Rural Appraisal exercises, undertake community organisation and training for the village communities, supervise watershed development activities etc., Mr. Varghese said.A Watershed Development Team (WDT) consisting of officials of the Agriculture, Soil Conservation, Minor Irrigation, Veterinary, and Forest departments will be set up for the implementation of the project.The common guideline for the project, issued by the Central government, says that institutional arrangements at the village level and people's participation should be ensured for the implementation of the project. The Watershed Committees should select self-help groups in the watershed area with the help of Watershed Development Committees (WDC) from amongst poor, small and marginal farmer households, landless, poor agricultural labourers, women, shepherds and Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes persons.The Watershed Committee should also constitute User Groups in the watershed area with the help of the WDT. The User Groups will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of all assets created under the project in close collaboration with the grama panchayat, the guidelines state.The scheme also envisaged financial assistance for setting up an FM radio station by Prasar Bharathi for broadcasting news and other programmes for local farmers, the nodal officer said.

The Hindu, 6^th November 2008