The farmer community in Rajarata, especially those in Anuradhapura, who are worse-affected of the prolonged drought, will be strengthened to face such challenges in the future, Irrigation, Agriculture, Water Resource Management, Rural Economy and Livestock Development Minister P. Harrison said.
The minister was addressing a meeting convened to discuss plans regarding the drought, recently.
“As a result of the drought which prevails for nearly two years, about 150,000 farmer families are inconvenienced, making them depend on dry food rations,” he said.
Drought relief is continuing and the government has so far spent about Rs. 3,000 million for relief activities in Anuradhapura.
The only remedy is to make drinking and irrigation water available for them, the minister said.
“The Yan Oya reservoir construction is now complete. The construction work of lower Malwathu Oya reservoir is commencing in April. The water capacity is 318,000 acre feet. The government spent Rs. 52,000 million for the two projects to provide irrigation water to nearly 600,000 acres in addition to drinking water,” the minister said. He added that it was planned to continue the small tank habitation programme by removing sediment deposits and renovating dilapidated tank bunds, sluices and irrigational canals involving around 2,000 rural tanks in Anuradhapura alone.
This would allow the tanks to store more water throughout the year, the minister said.
The project would be entrusted to farmer organisations under the technical supervision of the Agrarian Development Department.
It is also planned to rehabilitate abandoned or dilapidated cultivation wells out of nearly 20,000 such wells located in Anuradhapura on a 50 percent subsidy, the minister said.
“Due to poor planning at the start of the Yan Oya reservoir project, problems such as the payment of compensation, granting alternate land, resettlement etc. were unresolved even after four years. We need Rs. 5,000 million for the payment of compensation for acquired land of farmers. Also, for completion of the construction of the lower Malwathu Oya reservoir project, we need Rs. 13,000 million. We hope to get the funds from the upcoming budget. Coordination among main stakeholders such as government officials, farmer organisations and political authority is essential to implement the plans,” the minister said.
If adequate water is available throughout the year, farmers need not depend on relief measures or Samurdhi benefits, he added.
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