The water release would help the farmers to raise paddy on a total area of 1,31,903 acres in the districts of Cuddalore, Thanjavaur and Nagapattinam. To start with, 1,200 cusecs of water would be discharged from the Lower Anicut as follows: Vadavar — 700 cusecs, North Rajan Canal — 200 cusecs and South Rajan Canal — 300 cusecs.