The government seeks to restore the minor irrigation tanks to their original capacity and increase the water table. | Photo Credit: G. MOORTHY The Tamil Nadu government has accorded administrative and financial sanction for the rejuvenation of 5,000 minor irrigation tanks in rural areas across the State at a total cost of ₹500 crore.While ₹250 crore will be made available from the State Budget, a like sum will come as a grant from the State Finance Commission, says a government order issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department on September 5. There are about 22,051 minor irrigation tanks and 69,777 ponds and ‘ooranis’ in rural areas. While minor irrigation tanks are under the control of panchayat unions, ponds/‘ooranis’ come under village panchayats.Desilting and deepening of the water spread areas; strengthening and consolidation of bunds; repairs or reconstruction; and desilting of supply channels are among the components of the project. A committee, headed by the Collector of the respective district, would approve the proposals.The government seeks to restore the minor irrigation tanks to their original capacity and increase the water table.According to the guidelines for the rejuvenation of the minor irrigation tanks in rural areas, the aim is to regulate water storage for drinking and farming. “To encourage a participatory approach, 10% of the cost of the rehabilitation of minor irrigation tanks is to be collected from the public/user association/ayacutdars,” says one of the provisions.In terms of groundwater resources, of the 1,166 firkas across the State (as of March 2023), 360 were over-exploited (extraction is more than 100%), 78 were critical (90%-100% extraction), 231 were semi-critical (70%-90% extraction), 463 were safe, and 34 were saline, according to the Water Resources Department. Published – September 10, 2024 10:44 pm IST