At the State Level Sanctioning Committee on Micro Irrigation held on virtual mode on Tuesday, Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra directed to make a detail study on production and requirement of fruits and vegetables like mango, guava, papaya, lemon, onion and tomato in the State. He asked the Department of Horticulture to enhance production of the crops through definite action plan, and popularisation of micro irrigation.
The department was also asked to work in tandem with Water Resources Department for intensifying micro-irrigation interventions in ayacut areas of different irrigation projects.
Mahapatra said that popularisation of sprinklers and drip methods would optimise the use of water. These methods while enhancing efficiency of the yacht area and sustainability of irrigation sources will also increase productivity of the land.
Further, the Chief Secretary asked the Horticulture Directorate to promote sprinkler, drip and HDPE pipe schemes among the farmers having their land near bore well, deep-well and minor irrigation points.
Special Secretary Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Sanjeev Chopra appraised that cluster approach was adopted for promotion of banana, guava and papaya in the districts like Bargarh, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Balangir, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Gajapati, Angul, Dhenkanal, Deogarh, Boudh, Jajpur and Nayagarh. A total of around 1,015 hectares (ha) in these districts have been brought under such fruit crops in the year 2021-22. Target was fixed to promote these crops over more 1260 hectors during the current year.
Chief Secretary Mahapatra gave nod to Micro Irrigation Action plan of around Rs 531 crore for the year 2022-23.