Farmers of southern districts disappointed with poor fund allocation for Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar river-linking project
Farmers in southern Tamil Nadu are protesting the low fund allocation for the Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar river-linking project in the latest state budget. They argue the current funding is insufficient to complete the project within a reasonable timeframe.
Why it matters
The project is vital for irrigation in seven districts, and the funding dispute highlights the tension between infrastructure needs and fiscal constraints.
Farmers in southern districts have expressed their disappointment with the meagre allocation of ₹150 crore for Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar river-linking project in the first State Budget presented by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government.
In a statement, general secretary of Southern Districts Farmers’ Association M. Arjunan said the Cauvery- Vaigai- Gundar Link Canal Project was a dream irrigation project of southern Tamil Nadu.
People had been eagerly waiting for this project for the last half a century as it was expected to provide irrigation facilities to nearly eight lakh acres of agricultural lands in seven districts, namely Karur, Tiruchi, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar and Thoothukudi.
Stating that the allotment of mere ₹150 crore was highly inadequate, Mr. Arjunan said the allotted fund would not be sufficient for digging the canal even for five km. He recalled that the work of digging canal for 4.5 km from Mayanur in 2021 had cost ₹165 crore.
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