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

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The most neglected aspect <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> OFD is the drainage. Depending up<strong>on</strong> the<br />

type <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> soil <strong>and</strong> other topographic c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s. the nature. type <strong>and</strong> extent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

drainage works will be decided. This calls <strong>for</strong> systematic <strong>and</strong> scientific suney to<br />

estimate the drainage works. But. it is un<strong>for</strong>tunate that in all the 14 projects<br />

completed. as <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> March 1998. it was not carried out. With the result. <strong>on</strong>ly 8 per<br />

cent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the targeted area. identified <strong>for</strong> drainage, was completed by 1997 (Ibid:<br />

227). The loan comp<strong>on</strong>ent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Rs. 500 per ha. to c<strong>on</strong>struct drainage channels was<br />

very meager <strong>and</strong> did not match with actual requirement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Rs. 2500 to 3000 as<br />

reported by the <strong>farm</strong>ers. For instance, the expenditure per ha. at the nati<strong>on</strong>al level<br />

was fixed at Rs. 2500. which was subsequently increased to Rs. 4000 <strong>and</strong><br />

currently to Rs. 6000. Based <strong>on</strong> the Kerala experiences, this norm does not hold<br />

good <strong>for</strong> three important reas<strong>on</strong>s.<br />

1) Firstly. the topography <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the irrigati<strong>on</strong> comm<strong>and</strong>s is highly undulating <strong>and</strong><br />

there<strong>for</strong>e. the cost <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> water distributi<strong>on</strong> networks is much<br />

higher than the nati<strong>on</strong>al average.<br />

2) Sec<strong>on</strong>dly, the main/ branch canals are c<strong>on</strong>structed <strong>on</strong> higher c<strong>on</strong>tours<br />

resulting in larger distance between the canals <strong>and</strong> paddy fields. The<br />

c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> costs <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a field channel from any sluice/ spout up to the paddy<br />

fields are. there<strong>for</strong>e. very high due to the huge quantum <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> earthwork<br />

involved. besides the length <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the channel. Because <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the ceiling <strong>on</strong><br />

maximum rate per ha .. in man)' places. length <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the field channel was<br />

curtailed to maintain the t:xpt:nditure within the permissible limits. As a<br />

result, the field channds could not be taken to the entire fields <strong>and</strong> the ayacut<br />

under the spout art: kft without sufficient OFD works.<br />

235

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