Bhubaneswar: The Odisha cabinet on Wednesday approved Rs 12,458.04 crores under Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Project, to be implemented over five years from 2026-27 with full state funding.Chief secretary Anu Garg said the project would create an additional irrigation potential of 2.62 lakh hectares through 161 mega lift irrigation schemes across all districts. It is aimed at addressing the challenges of rain-dependent agriculture in upland and water-scarce regions where conventional gravity-based irrigation systems are not feasible.The schemes would draw surface water and distribute it through underground pipeline networks to reduce conveyance losses and improve water-use efficiency. The initiative assumes significance as a large share of Odisha’s cultivable land continues to depend on erratic monsoon rainfall, leaving farmers vulnerable to drought and climate variability.According to official estimates, Odisha has already completed 209 mega lift irrigation schemes, creating irrigation potential over 2.66 lakh hectares in 23 districts under the scheme since its launch in 2011-12. Officials said the new project would expand assured irrigation coverage, enabling farmers to take up multiple crops annually and reducing dependence on rainfall.The proposed pressurised pipeline network would also support micro-irrigation technologies, promoting efficient use of water resources. The govt expects assured irrigation to encourage a gradual shift from water-intensive paddy cultivation to high-value cash crops, boosting productivity and farm incomes.Officials said the relatively short gestation period of mega lift irrigation projects, compared with conventional irrigation schemes, would help farmers reap benefits sooner while contributing to sustainable agricultural growth across the state.The cabinet also approved improvement to tanks and minor irrigation projects -Phase III scheme with an outlay of Rs 389 crore for implementation from 2026-27 to 2029-30. Under the programme, 680 minor irrigation projects, including spillover works from the previous phase, would be renovated through desilting of reservoirs, strengthening of embankments, repair of spillways and canal improvements.The initiative is expected to revive irrigation potential over around 15,700 hectares, enhance water storage capacity and improve efficiency and reliability of water distribution to farmers across the state.
