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

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c<strong>on</strong>junctive use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> canal <strong>and</strong> groundwater. Only 22 per cent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the m<strong>on</strong>ey<br />

earmarked <strong>for</strong> the purpose was disbursed (Ibid: 220). If this programme had<br />

properly been implemented. <strong>farm</strong>ers would have resorted to c<strong>on</strong>junctive use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

water. which would have helped reducing adverse effects like waterlogging <strong>and</strong><br />

salinity. For. wells in canal comm<strong>and</strong> areas work as vertical drains to arrest rise<br />

in water table.<br />

The c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> field channels. an important aspect <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> OFD. has been<br />

far behind the expected levels in smaller blocks <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 5 ha. <strong>and</strong> less. Farmers from<br />

the smaller blocks are given loans <strong>for</strong> c<strong>on</strong>structing field channels. The loan<br />

amount is <strong>on</strong>ly nominal (ie., Rs. 200 per ha.). which is inadequate. Since <strong>farm</strong>ers<br />

are unable to mobilise the additi<strong>on</strong>al funds required <strong>for</strong> the purpose, they do not<br />

c<strong>on</strong>struct field channels. lt has. there<strong>for</strong>e. adversely affected \\ater distributi<strong>on</strong>.<br />

use <strong>and</strong> management. particularly in smaller plots. This calls <strong>for</strong> a realistic<br />

estimati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> expenditure taking the locati<strong>on</strong>-specific c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s like topography.<br />

slope <strong>and</strong> type <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> soils, <strong>for</strong> carrying out OFD works.<br />

The limited scale in which OFD works were carried out in the comm<strong>and</strong><br />

areas was not productive enough as the delivery system was not improved.<br />

Canals <strong>and</strong> hydraulic structures were badly damaged <strong>and</strong> the scarce water went<br />

waste into drains. For instance. in Palakkad divisi<strong>on</strong> (covering six projects, viz.,<br />

Malampuzha, Mangalam, Pothundy, Walayar, Gayathri <strong>and</strong> Cheerkuzhi) out <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

the 47356 ha. potential created. <strong>on</strong>ly about 52 per cellt <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the area (24697 ha.)<br />

was irrigated. with the result that an amount <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Rs. 13.6 crorcs spent <strong>on</strong> OFD<br />

works became unproductive <strong>and</strong> sunk capital (CAUl. 1

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