PROGRAMME
OF DEVELOPMNET OF STAGE II
by Feasibility Report for the
development of 71,000 of new lands in Stage II area has been accepted by the
Cabinet. The project area will be irrigated by improving and extending the
Kandalama L. B. and R. B. and Kalawewa
R. B. main canals and further constructing a Kalawewa
L. B. canal. This development has been included in the Government’s 5-Year
Plan for Agricultural development.
Government
has set apart Rs.20 million to commence development of some 6,000 acres in
Stage H Area in 1974, and the preliminary, construction works commenced during
this year.
1. The Programme of settlement given in the Feasibility Report was
modified as follows for implementation
HI ..
6,000
6,000
H2 ..
—
12,000
12,000
H4 ..
—
13,000
10,500 23,500
H5 ..
2,500
13,000
15,500
H7 ..
—
8,000
8,000
H9
6,000
6,000
Total Avenge ..
6,000 26,000 13,000 13,000 13,000 17,000
Thus some 15,000 new farm families and 8,000
families presently residing in the project area will be settled by the end
of 1979.
A
farm settler will be given either 3 acres of ill-drained or 2 acres of well-drained
land as a farm unit and an extent of j acres for homestead. First group of
settlers will commence their cultivation operation in Maha 75/76 season. The majority of the farmers will
be from the area itself; for other settlers preference will be given ‘to those
affected as a result of construction activities of MDB. Selection
criteria has been designed giving preference for farming experience.
Pattern of settlement envisaged is a cluster type with the lowest unit, a
hamlet consisting of 100-225 families. Four or five of the hamlets form a
cluster with a common service centre and four or five clusters form a sub-area.
47 clusters and 9 sub-areas will be formed in the Stage H area. The settlers
will be given a grant of Rs. 300 to put up a temporary
house and they will be paid a subsistence of Rs.
5/- daily for a period of S weeks.
2. Infrastructure
The
infrastructure services such as transport, communications, health and education,
will be provided by respective Government agencies in collaboration with MDB.
These services will be provided in accordance with the requirements of the
community at appropriate level of settlement pattern. During the first 2 months
farmers will be advised to form their own co-operatives which will fit into
the national co-operative structure and would thereafter be responsible for
the supply of consumer needs, agricultural inputs, credit and marketing facilities.
An
important item under this programme is the implementation of a comprehensive
training and community development programme to help farmers to improve their
living standards, economically, socially and culturally.
3. Agriculture
The
soils in the Stage 11 area are predominantly the reddish brown earths with
low humic gleys occupying the lower
reaches. Only rice can be grown , on the poorly drained
low humic gley soils while
a wide range of crops can be grown on well drained reddish brown earths. Only
rice can be grown in about 40% of the area. A net farm income of Rs. 3,600/- per family is stipulated (Feasibility Report)
in an average holding of 3 acres. Yield at full development are estimated
at 60% of the harvest in experimental plots at research station. Transition
from existing subsistence to commercial level of farming will require that
farmers acquire skills in farm management and modern techniques of crop production
with ready access to inputs. To enable this, strengthening of the extension
services will be done. It is also proposed that settlers purchase their land
holdings on easy payment terms and also pay an annual service charge.
4. Agro-Industries
The
opening up of new lands and the cultivation of a large acreage with new crops
would need the setting up of several Agro-Industries for the success of the
scheme. A Japanese Research Team has investigated the possibility of establishing
a chip board and hard board factory and, the report is Dot yet ready. Small
industries and certain projects on inland fisheries, animal husbandry has
already been considered. Industries, such as safety matches,
agricultural implements, straw board, bricks and pottery, woodwork, grinding
mills for Soya bean and Chillies, ground-nut processing, manioc starch, sugarcane
processing, silk production and twine making from banana fibre.
