economics of on-farm development - Institute for Social and ...

in lands having slopes less than 3 per cent.
Originally. the project was conceived for irrigating paddy alone but later.
the scope <strong>of</strong> the scheme was extended to irrigate garden crops also in view <strong>of</strong> the
change in the policy <strong>of</strong> the government. In addition to this, it is anticipated that
the scheme would solve drinking water problem to a considerable extent. The
scheme is also expected to generate power to the extent <strong>of</strong> 15 MW. Besides,
intensive agricultural activities are expected to create additional employment
potential <strong>of</strong> 11.5 million mandays.
Eventhough scattered efforts have been on to investigate the possibilities
<strong>of</strong> constructing a dam across the river Kallada even before 1958. an oT(J.anised
setup to investigate the possibility was started only in November 1958. The
Government <strong>of</strong> Kerala in 1961 administratively sanctioned the proposal <strong>of</strong>
KalLda Irrigation project with an estimated cost <strong>of</strong> Rs. I 3 .28 crores. Thus the
project was formally started in 1961. The budget allotment for the project up to
1966 was so meager that there were no tangible works carried out during the
period. The expenditure up to 1980 March was only Rs.34 crores while the
estimated cost at 1980 price levels was Rs. I 76 crores. The project was proposed
to the World Bank aid in 1980 and the bank accepted the proposal in October
1982 so as to complete the project hy March 1987. Later, it was extended up to
March 1989. The World Bank aid n:ceived was 80.3 million US Dollars.
equivalent to 97.77 crores <strong>of</strong> rupees (hased on the then exchange rate <strong>of</strong> Dollar).
The spillover works were carried out thereafter utilising the budget allotment <strong>of</strong>
the state government. The partial commissioning <strong>of</strong> the Right Bank main canal
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