The National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) was established by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India to assist the States and Union Territories that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change in meeting the cost of adaptation. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has been designated as National Implementing Entity (NIE) and responsible for overall implementation of the project in the country.

MoEFCC has sanctioned a project titled “Integrated surface water management for climate change adaptation in U.T of Puducherry” with the total financial outlay of Rs. 16.76 Crores under NAFCC for rejuvenating the surface water resources such as tanks and ponds in Puducherry and Karaikal region. These regions mostly depend on ground water aquifers for domestic, agriculture, industry and other uses. Due to rapid urbanization and population growth in this region, the existing ground water aquifers have been over exploited, causing sea water intrusion. The project aims to enhance the water storage capacity of tanks and ponds for increasing the recharge of ground water aquifers from monsoon rains and the water stored in the water bodies. The Department of Science and Technology, Government of Puducherry is the Nodal Agency for implementing the project and the Puducherry Climate Change Cell functioning under the Department acts as the Project Management Unit. The Public Works Department and the Municipalities and Commune Panchayats under the Local Administration Department are the Project Executing Entities.

The project involves following major components:

The project will result in increased water storage capacity in tanks and ponds, increased ground water recharge, limiting ground water salinization and minimizing the risk of usage of saline water. The project will increase the climate resilience of local communities through reduction of water stress period.