POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY TN

and Water tests are conducted in each field and Soil Health Cards are prepared and
distributed to farmers at free of cost.
Although some initial land development activities are carried out before the
distribution of land, most other activities after the legal documents are handed over to
the beneficiaries. The lands are distributed once in three months. So far about 2 lakh
acres of lands have been distributed to about 1.75 lakh beneficiaries.
e. Soil Conservation
Land provides food, fuel, fodder and shelter besides supporting most forms of economic
activity. Land degradation, which means changes in the quality of soil, water, terrain,
biotic resources and other characteristics that results in the loss of biological or economic
productivity of land, is mainly due to soil erosion, caused by natural and man-made
causes such as deforestation, overgrazing, reckless mining, and general mismanagement.
Physical as well as biological deterioration of land with associated fertility depletion also
occurs due to water logging, salination, alkalination, acidification etc. Soil erosion causes
loss of run-off water, plant nutrients and micro flora. It also results in siltation of
reservoirs and river beds affecting both irrigation and hydro electric potential. It also
leads to floods in plains and valleys causing damage to crops, animals and human life.
In Tamil Nadu, soil erosion by wind is prevalent in the Cumbum Valley on the
eastern side of the Western Ghats, and Tirunelveli and Thootukudi districts. The coastal
areas of Ramanathapuram district are also affected. Besides, almost the entire lands
under rain fed agriculture are subjected to sheet and gully erosion. The problem of
salinity and alkalinity exists in Kancheepuram, Tanjor, Nagapatnam, Thiruvarur, and
Thiruvannamalai districts.
Tamil Nadu was one of the pioneer states, implementing soil conservation
programs in agricultural lands since 1949. In 1959, wind erosion control measures were
initiated. The Soil Conservation in tribal areas has been taken up in since 1976. Further,
Soil Conservation in the Catchments of River Valley Project (1976), Soil Conservation
under Western Ghats Development (1982), and Soil Conservation under Hill Area
Development (1987) are the special projects implemented by Agricultural Engineering
Department.
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