Bhubaneswar: To woo voters ahead of the general elections, the state government Friday approved four mega lift irrigation (LI) projects and two rural piped water supply projects worth Rs 2,600 crore
The State Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved the tenders for these projects at its meeting held at the Secretariat here. In all, the Cabinet has approved a total of 28 proposals of various departments including these tenders.
Under #BASUDHA and Infrastructure Development Fund for KBK Districts, #Odisha Cabinet has approved execution of rural piped water supply projects worth ₹983.01Cr. The projects will supply safe drinking water to 6.09 lakh people in 992 villages of Boudh & Nabarangpur districts pic.twitter.com/J5AxULDlRB
— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) February 23, 2019
The LI projects would irrigate more than 50,000 hectares of low-irrigated areas across nine districts, while the drinking water projects would benefit around six lakh rural populations across six blocks in Nabarangpur and Boudh districts, said Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi while briefing the media about the Cabinet decisions.
The mega lift project programme, launched in 2011-12, has been among the State government’s most successful initiatives to create irrigation potential for farm land.
Cabinet Decisions
- Six water supply & irrigation projects worth Rs 2600 Cr approved
- Four mega lift irrigation projects worth Rs 1621 Cr to be executed in 9 dists
- Two rural piped water supply projects to be executed in Boudh, Nabarangpur
The State government has so far taken up 170 LI projects since 2011-12 under the mega lift project covering around 22 districts. Out of this, 67 projects have already been completed which created irrigation facilities in more than 77,000 hectares.
#Odisha Cabinet approved tender for four Mega Lift Irrigation Clusters with 38 schemes and covering a command area of 56,918 hectares in nine districts across the state. Focus on providing protective irrigation by utilizing the surplus water otherwise running off to the sea pic.twitter.com/YC0pppA7YW
— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) February 23, 2019
As per the decision, instant tender has been approved to create irrigation potential over 14,900 hectares in Jajpur, Keonjhar and Jharsuguda district with an investment of Rs 432.37 crore. The money will be sanctioned from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund.
Similarly, the second project would irrigate 16,154 hectares in Angul, Boudh and Dhenkanal districts with an investment of Rs 445.35 crore, he said.
Odisha Cabinet headed by CM @Naveen_Odisha approved several key decisions which will strengthen drinking water supply, irrigation and healthcare across the state. He also approved recruitment and conditions of service in several departments. pic.twitter.com/xKj8yKjEZG
— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) February 23, 2019
While the LI projects in Angul, Boudh and Dhenkanal will be implemented on river Mahanadi and Rengali Right Bank canal; the projects in Jajpur, Keonjhar and Jharsuguda districts will have intake points on Brahmani, Baitarani, Mahanadi and Ib rivers.
Another lift irrigation project worth Rs 357.29 crore has been approved by the Cabinet to provide irrigation facility to 12,900 hectares in Sambalpur and Sonepur districts. The LI projects will draw water from Mahanadi river, the Chief Secretary said.
The Cabinet also approved the tender for execution of fourth LI project worth Rs 386.12 crore in Malkangiri district that would irrigate 12,964 hectares. The project will have intake points on river like Potteru, Saberi, Garia and Kolab in Malkangiri. The four LI projects are expected to be completed in three years, said an official source.
Besides, the Cabinet has approved tenders for two rural water supply projects under the BASUDHA scheme. The rural water supply project in Boudh district would benefit 2.92 lakh people living across 747 villages under Boudh and Kantamal blocks. The project will be developed with an investment of Rs 427.59 crore.
Another Rs 555.42-crore piped water supply project would benefit 3.17 lakh people under Chandahandi, Nabarangpur, Papadahandi and Koshagumuda blocks in tribal-dominated Nabarangpur district. Target has been set to complete both the projects within 24 months, said Padhi.
PNN