Chief Secretary Sri Aditya Prasad Padhi visited different sections of Water Resource Department in Rajiv Bhawan today afternoon and reviewed the activities of the department in its conference hall wherein Principal Secretary Sri Pradeep Kumar Jena presented the updates and outlined the issues for discussion.
Reviewing the progress of the projects, Chief Secretary Sri Padhi directed the department to complete the incomplete projects first before taking up any new project. The department was advised to enhance the capacity of Pani Panchayats through appropriate training and community mobilization. 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 hectors has been brought to the focus area of the department. Chief Secretary directed to achieve the target within the financial year 2018-19.
Available data shows at present Odisha has utilizable water resources of around 83.46 BCM out of which 24.24 BCM is in present use. As such, State has vast water potential. Irrigation potential has been created for 33.12 lakh hectors. 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 hectors. It has been planned to irrigate 2.41 lakh hectors through mega lift scheme for which 103 projects have been taken up with estimated cost of Rs.4024 cr .
Besides, 20 nos of major and medium irrigation projects have been taken up for creation of 4.37 lakh hect irrigation potential with estimated cost of Rs.18,404 cr . 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.
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Similarly, deep bore well scheme have been taken up for creation of irrigation potential over 0.60 lakh hectors. By now, near about 12,000 beneficiaries have deposited Rs.20,000/- each towards their 10% share money.
It may be pertinent to mention that State Govt from its own fund is providing 90% of the cost of each deep borewell. Principal Secretary Sri Jena said that tenders have already been floated for digging of borewells and the works will be completed as per the schedule. Around 10,000 Check dams have been taken up for for creating additional irrigation potential.
So far 7483 nos have been completed and protective irrigation has been provided to 37,362 hectors during 2015 Khariff. Balance projects are in progress. Construction of 4000 Community Lift Irrigation Points have been taken up for creating irrigation potential of 80,000 hectors. The revival of defunct LIPs have been taken up on war footing. It has been targeted to revive 3917 defunct LIPs with estimated cost of Rs.753.38 Cr.
The department has successfully grounded the Odisha Community Tank Management Project (OCTMP). As a result, cropping intensity has increased from 1.21 % to 1.42% per hect , fish productivity has increased from 0.012 ton to 0.29 ton per hect., milk productivity has increased from 2.42 lit per day per cow to that of 5.38 lit.
Around 573 Women Poultry Vaccinators have been trained and linked with line department. 200 Farmers’ marketing group have been created who have taken up various agri-marketing activates. Rs.256 have been utilized by Nov, 2015 out of a total project cost of Rs.432 cr. Principal Secretary Sri Jena mentioned that this project would bring more results in coming years.
Whatsapp has been successfully used in monitoring of the individual projects. The department has targeted to put automated project management system in place soon. Special Secretary, Smt Chitra Arumugam, Additional Secretary Sri Santh Gopalan R., Joint Secretary Sri Jyoti Prakash Das, EIC Sri J. B. Mohapatra along with other senior officers of the department participated in the deliberations.
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