CHENNAI: For other vulnerable coastal districts like Chennai, the finance minister, presenting the budget on Thursday, said the government is preparing a comprehensive flood protection plan, which will be executed in a phased manner. For the current financial year, Rs 445.19 crore has been provided for taking up projects relating to irrigation and flood control with Nabard assistance, Chennai would also get another Rs 800 crore under Chennai mega city development mission scheme.
“For Chennai, the allocated funds will be utilised for flood alleviation project. Based on December floods experience, an action plan has been prepared identifying the grey areas that are susceptible for flooding. This blueprint will become handy when the funds are awarded to corporation,” said a corporation official. In the first phase of Asian Development Bank (ADB)-assisted ‘Climate Change Adaptation Programme’, he said works have been taken up in Vennar sub-basin at a cost of Rs 279 crore.
“The remaining works will be taken up during 2016-17,” he said, adding that the second phase of ‘Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation and Water-Bodies Restoration and Management’ (IAMWARM) would be taken up with World Bank assistance at an estimated cost of Rs 2,950 crore to extend the benefits to uncovered sub-basins.
