Odisha is all set to undertake a massive improvement of 36 dam projects at a cost of nearly Rs 1,000 crore with World Bank support.
Under the New Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phases II and III, Odisha will be implementing this huge dam improvement project, thanks to the support of the Union Government.
While the Department of Water Resources (DoWR) has taken up various milestones in this regard, more is needed to be done as per stipulations of the World Bank.
Odisha implemented DRIP Phase I and rehabilitated 26 dams out of which 6 major, 14 medium and 6 are minor dams.
The major dams included Balimela, Hirakud, Rengali, ,Salandi, Upper Kolab and Satiguda. Now, under the DRIP Phase II and III, the Union Government has proposed to rehabilitate and improve at least 700 dams at a cost of Rs 10,221 crore, said sources.
With Upendra Prasad Singh at the helm of Ministry of Water Resources, as Secretary MoWR, Odisha is getting a lion’s share from DRIP, said sources.
While Odisha, which has 163 large dams is taking up all sorts of preparatory arrangements, the Union Government has advised Odisha to take up the required criteria needed for clearance of the projects.
Singh is in constant touch with the senior officials of the Odisha Government in Department of Water Resources (DoWR).
A Loan Negotiation Meeting is likely to be held in February and all the other States are getting ready for the meeting. So Odisha, which is likely to take up DRIP Phase II at a cost of Rs 495 crore is needed to invite tenders and complete the technical and financial evaluation of the civil works before the loan negotiation meeting.
A World Bank team has already visited the State. While expressing satisfaction with the progress, it also advised to fulfil some of the criteria in this regard. With Odisha having experience to handle DRIP projects, both Union Government and World Bank are more interested to support the State by way of more funding.
The Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance will convene the Loan Negotiation Meet in February 2020, where Odisha Team is expected to take part in the deliberations.