Baleswar MP Rabindra Kumar Jena on Tuesday demanded construction of a barrage on the river Budhabalanga to regulate irregular flow of rainwater and provide irrigation facility in parts of Mayurbhanj and Baleswar districts under his constituency.
He made the demand during Zero Hour in the Parliament.
“As many as 89.11 of total population of my constituency live villages and their main livelihood source is agriculture. A barrage on Budhabalanga will not only help regulate the flow of the river water during monsoons but also ensure an efficient irrigation system. This will improve the agricultural output of the area,” he said.
He said people suffer immense losses in Badasahi, Betnoti, Remuna, Nilgiri and Sadar blocks under his constituency on account of unregulated flow of water during rainy season.
He urged the Government sanction construction of a barrage on the Budhabalanga river between Badsahi and Betnoti in Mayurbhanj district.
The MP said at least one lakh farmers would be benefited if the barrage comes up.
It may be noted that Budhabalanga emerges covers a distance of 198 km from Barehipani in the Similipal area to the Bay of Bengal.
Jena too demanded establishment of multipurpose cold storages in Betnoti and Badasahi blocks.