Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi visited different sections of Water Resources Department in Rajiv Bhawan on Saturday and reviewed the activities of the department. Principal Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena presented the updates and outlined the issues for discussion.
Padhi directed the department to complete the incomplete projects first before taking up any new ones. The department was advised to enhance the capacity of Pani Panchayats through appropriate training and community mobilization. The Chief Secretary directed to fix realistic target for each project and accomplish it within the time schedule.
Creation of irrigation potential for additional 10 lakh hectares was brought to the focus area of the department. Padhi directed to achieve the target within the financial year 2018-19.
Odisha has utilizable water resources of around 83.46 BCM out of which 24.24 BCM is in present use. As such, the State has vast water potential. Irrigation potential has been created for 33.12 lakh hectares. The Chief Secretary directed to increase water use efficiency and maximize the use of irrigation potential already created.
The department has taken up various projects for creation of irrigation facility for additional 10 lakh hectares. It has been planned to irrigate 2.41 lakh hectares through mega lift scheme for which 103 projects have been taken up with estimated cost of `4,024 crore. Besides, 20 major and medium irrigation projects have been taken up for creation of 4.37 lakh hectares of irrigation potential with estimated cost of `18,404 crore. It has been targeted to complete Upper Indravati extension, Titilagarh project by end of 2015-16 , Rukura-Manjore-Bahghalati project by 2016-17 , lower Indravati Mahaendratanaya Project by 2017-18 and Subarnarekha-Kanpur-Anadapur Barrage-Telengiri-Hadua project by 2018-19.
Similarly, deep bore well scheme have been taken up for creation of irrigation potential over 0.60 lakh hectares.
Around 10,000 check dams have been taken up for creating additional irrigation potential. So far 7,483 check dams have been completed and protective irrigation has been provided to 37,362 hectares during 2015 Kharif. Balance projects are in progress. Construction of 4,000 Community lift Irrigation Points have been taken up for creating irrigation potential of 80,000 hectares.
The department has successfully grounded the Odisha Community Tank Management Project (OCTMP). Around 573 Women Poultry Vaccinators have been trained and linked with line department. 200 farmers’ marketing group have been created.