Govt-Nabard MoU: Rs 1100cr for ground water recharge

Bhubaneswar: The state government Friday signed an MoU with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) for implementation of the country’s first project from Green Climate Fund (GCF) for ground water recharge and revival of ponds.
The Water Resources (WR) department signed the MoU for the government at the Secretariat here in presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Addressing the gathering, Naveen said the project envisaged a massive ground water recharge at a cost of `1,100 crore, of which `240 crore will be provided from GCF while the rest will be arranged by the state government through convergence funding.
“Apart from renovation and improvement of 10,000 tanks, the project envisages providing recharge shafts to recharge at least 1,65,000 acre feet of water to the aquifers, development of 1,000 bore wells with solar pumping-based micro irrigation and capacity building of farmers,” he said, adding, the project will be implemented over a period of five years. The project will be implemented in 15 districts –Bargarh, Bolangir, Boudh, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Sambalpur and Sonepur.
“This project was planned to recharge the ground water in areas facing drought like situation and water stress. Eight such project proposals have been submitted by various states and departments for availing GCF of which Odisha’s proposal was approved by the Centre,” said water resources secretary PK Jena. Through this project, about 20,000 ponds will be recharged and ground water of 20,000 hectare metre will also be recharged annually, he added.