NDC to fund intra-state river interlinking projects

Chennai, Mar 20: The Tamil Nadu Government today informed that the National Development Council has resolved to provide assistance for linking intra-state rivers under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP).

Presenting the budget for 2008-09 in the Assembly, Finance Minister K Anbazhagan said in anticipation of this assistance, the State Government would take up river linking projects in a phased manner.

As the first phase of the Cauvery-Agniar-Koriar-Pambar-Vaigai- Gundar interlinking scheme for taking surplus flood waters in river Cauvery to water-deficit districts, the construction of Kattalai barrage across river Cauvery would be taken up at a cost of Rs 165 crore, Mr Anbazhagan said.

''In the next phase, works for excavating a 225-km-long canal linking these rivers will be taken up based on a detailed project report under preparation,'' he added.

The Minister informed that the Tamirabarani-Karumeniyar-Nambiar linking project for taking surplus waters from Tamirabarani river to the water-deficit areas of Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts would be executed at a cost of Rs 369 crore.

UNI