SPID

SOUTHERN PROVINCIAL IRRIGATION DEPARTMENT

Southern Provincial Irrigation Department (SPID) came into being with the formation of Southern Provincial Council in 1989. The functions and duties of the province formerly carried out by the Central Irrigation Department were handed over to the newly formed Provincial Irrigation Department as per 13th amendment to the Constitution. According to the 13th amendment all non-inter-provincial irrigation schemes should be under the purview of the Provincial Department.

In the Districts of Galle and Matara no inter-provincial irrigation schemes but most of major irrigation schemes in Hambantota District are inter-provincial so except in Hambantota SPID has a prominent role of developments of water resources for irrigation in the province. In Hambantota, one of the driest district in the country has more than 800 minor tanks fed by the catchments within the province to store the last few drop of rain water and the farmers are immensely helped by these tanks not only for their paddy cultivations but for other field crops, domestic and homestead animal needs as well. Usually these minor tanks being looked after by none of the governmental or non-governmental organizations majority of them are either non-functional or of very little use and hardly any maintenance is being done.

So the SPID has a big responsibility of revamping and modernizing these poorly treated tank and other irrigation schemes to their full potential.