14-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Tamil Nadu irrigated agriculture project deadline extended till December
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation Project (TNIAMP), supported by the World Bank, has been given a six-month extension, allowing officials more time to complete remaining key works and ensure that the project's key objectives are met.
The project, which was earlier set to end on June 2, will now continue till December 2.
According to a G.O. issued by J Jayakanthan, Secretary, WRD, the state had given administrative sanction for Rs 2,962 crore for the TNIAMP in 2017 for a seven-year period till 2024. The amount was revised to Rs 3,249 crore during a mid-term review in May 2021.
The G.O. said many districts in Tamil Nadu were badly affected by Cyclone Michaung in December 2023, in which irrigation structures built or repaired under the project were damaged. Following this, the World Bank, on December 22, 2023, recommended the use of the Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC) and sanctioned Rs 449.59 crore to handle the damage.
The Empowered Committee in Tamil Nadu approved the proposal to therefore extend the project by a year till May 31, 2026, following which the state submitted a proposal and action plan to the centre's Department of Economic Affairs, which forwarded the request to the World Bank. Based on the bank's recommendation, the project has now been extended till December 2, 2025, the G.O. said.
A senior WRD official said, 'The main aim of this project is to improve productivity and climate resilience in irrigated agriculture, ensure better water management, and create more market opportunities for farmers and agro-entrepreneurs in selected sub-basins.'
The project is being carried out by the WRD in coordination with six other departments and three universities in 47 sub-basins over four phases, covering a total area of 4.69 lakh hectares.
He further said rehabilitation works in 2,473 irrigation tanks, 344 anicuts, rivers, and canals covering 4,879 km have been completed. In addition, 78 artificial recharge wells have been constructed.
