<p></p><p>As many as 643 acres of land had been covered under the ‘WADI’ Tribal Development project of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development in Pachamalai benefiting an equal number of families. Pachamalai is located on the border of Tiruchi and Salem districts. Mango and cashew orchards will be raised under this. <br></p> <p>NABARD has taken up the project at an estimate of Rs. 8 crore, which included Rs. 6 crore grant, credit for Rs. 1 crore, and contribution of labour equivalent to Rs. 1 crore by the tribal people.The project was being implemented in 41 villages — 16 in Tiruchi district and 25 in Salem side of the hills.The project aims at ensuring livelihood assistance to the tribal people and planting of cashew and mango saplings on 643 acres formed a part of this component.On each acre, 94 saplings have been raised – 54 mangoes and 40 cashew – for ensuring livelihood for the tribal people on a sustained basis, says S. Sureshkumar, Assistant General Manager, NABARD, Tiruchi, who conducted a study on the fields on Thursday.He said that each family would get an annual income of Rs. 12 lakh, once yield commenced from these crops within a couple of years. <br></p> <h1>Excellent growth</h1> <p>G. Kannan, Project Director, Hand-in-Hand, the implementing agency for the six-year project inaugurated in 2014-15. “Within a year, the saplings have registered phenomenal growth, indicating the suitability of the soil for these horticultural crops,” he said. The tribal people familiar with the cultivation practices to be followed for raising these crops.He said that the ‘VRI 3’ had been raised in the cashew area while the mango saplings included banganapalli , imampasandh , and malgova .The villages covered in Tiruchi district, included Top Sengattupatti, Puthur, Nachilipatti, Karuvankadu, N. Puthur, Boothakaal, Thannerpallam, Kambore, and Solamatthi.On the Salem side, the project is implemented in Periyapakkalam, Gunavarai, Neyvasal, and Odaikattuputhur<br></p><p></p>