Performance Report – 2010 - Ministry of Finance and Planning

Provided required inputs to the relevantsections of the Annual Report 2009 ofthe Ministry of Finance and Planning Updated the Project Pipelineincorporating new proposals submittedby the ministry and line agencies. Prepared Progress Reports relating toon-goingdevelopmentprojects/programmes. Participated in the “Dayata Kirula”Exhibition by preparing leafletssummarizing the developmentframework of the livestock sector. Gave observations on the amendmentsto the Animal Act No. 29 of 1958 todeal with the matters pertaining toanimal identification, animal welfare,animal transformation etc. Assisted in the preparation of thedevelopment plan of the livestocksector. Monitored the implementation of theLivestock Sector DevelopmentFramework, Programmes and the othermain development programmes in thelivestock sector. Provided technical assistance to theministry of Livestock and RuralCommunity Development for thedevelopment projects of expansion ofdairy villages and increase in artificialinsemination. Assisted in the removal of tariffs on theimportation of dairy animals forbreeding purposes and dairy equipmentrelated to milk processing to strengthenthe dairy sector. The officers of the sector have participatedin 35 meetings including board meetings,steering committee meetings on majordevelopment projects in the livestock sector,progress review meetings, policy reviewmeetings and ministerial procurementcommittees in 2010.essentially require irrigation facilities,occupy a land extent of above 1 millionhectare. Of this, 70 percent is paddy.The remaining area is under other foodcrops. The available reservoirs at presentprovide water to an extent of more than 0.6million hectare Of this, about 400,000hectare come under the major and mediumscale reservoirs fed by the minor tanks.Irrigation schemes in the country aremanaged by three main institutions.The total investment requirement in theirrigation sector over the period from 2010to 2020 is estimated at Rs. 277.5 bn. Ofthis, Rs. 186.7 bn is expected from foreignsources. The remainder will be financedmainly by the government with the supportof the private sector.The performance of many irrigationschemes has not yet reached the thresholdlevel over the last few years. Therefore,the returns on investments in mostschemes remain low and inconsistent.Improving the performance of availablesystems and the proposed new basins istherefore a felt need for today and future.In view of this, the future of the irrigationsector has been setout in a way to promoteagriculture productivity by increasingwater use efficiency and reducing unduewater losses.Under the rehabilitation and upgrading oflarge and medium scale schemes, desiltingof reservoirs, rehabilitation of sluiceand gates, installation/repairing of thegauging instruments and mending thebunds will be carried out over the mediumterm.IrrigationAt present, of the total land area undercultivation (1.86 million hectare), paddyand other food crops (except tea, rubber,coconut and other export crops) which151