Bhubaneswar: The state cabinet on Saturday approved four major irrigation packages under two flagship water resources programmes, involving a combined investment of over Rs 600 crore, aimed at expanding irrigation coverage across Balasore, Khurda, Puri, Rayagada and Gajapati districts.The projects are expected to create or strengthen irrigation potential over nearly 24,000 hectares of agricultural land and benefit more than 130 villages across the state. The approvals include two packages under the Integrated Anandapur Barrage Project and two clusters under the Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme.Under the Anandapur Barrage Project, the cabinet approved one package covering over 7,000 hectares of command area under the Salandi Left Main Canal in Balasore district at an execution cost of Rs 145.71 crore and a five-year operation and maintenance (O&M) cost of Rs 7.30 crore.The second package, costing Rs 112.52 crore with an O&M component of Rs 5.64 crore, will provide irrigation to 5,052 hectares in Nilgiri, Soro, Remuna and Balasore Sadar blocks through an underground gravity-flow pipeline network. Both projects are scheduled for completion within 24 months.Officials said the Anandapur Barrage Project is designed to provide irrigation to 60,000 hectares in Keonjhar and Balasore districts. While the barrage structure and irrigation network for about 3,000 hectares have already been completed, the balance command area is being developed through underground pipelines, govt said.The cabinet also approved a cluster of the Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme at an execution cost of Rs 234 crore and a 15-year O&M cost of Rs 21 crore. The cluster involves five lift irrigation schemes that will create irrigation potential for about 7,700 hectares in Khurda and Puri districts, benefiting 92 villages.Approval was also accorded to another cluster of the same scheme, involving four lift irrigation projects in Rayagada and Gajapati districts. The project, with an execution cost of Rs 133 crore and a 15-year O&M cost of Rs 12 crore, will create irrigation potential for about 4,050 hectares, benefiting 29 villages in Rayagada and nine villages in Gajapati.According to govt, the lift irrigation projects have been designed to promote micro-irrigation and encourage farmers to diversify from water-intensive paddy cultivation to higher-value cash crops. The projects are expected to strengthen rural livelihoods and improve the socio-economic condition of farmers, govt said.
