Following is from a report in Pragativadi.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to give 188 US million dollar as loan for the improvement in the irrigation sector of Orissa. The funds would be spent under the Orissa Irrigated Agriculture and Water Management programme. Under this project, Budhabalanga, Baitarani, Subarnarekeha and Chitrotpala basin will be inter-linked. Besides, six major irrigation projects, nine medium and 1,400 lift irrigation points would be set up that would facilitate irrigation in 2.24 lakh hectare of lands. A tripartite agreement was signed in New Delhi by the Centre, the ADB and the Orissa government. As per the agreement, ADB will provide 47 US million dollar in the first phase. The state government will repay the money at a five per cent interest in a period of 25 years.
New Indian Express reports the Orissa minister’s statement on this regard in the assembly. Following are some excerpts:
Refuting Opposition charges that the State Government has paid no attention to flood control measures, Planning and Coordination Minister Padmanabha Behera said a master plan is being prepared in this regard for Tel river basin.
The State Government has also decided to construct a barrage at Barmul on river Mahanadi as a part of flood control measure. Only seven villages would be submerged because of the project, he said.
He reiterated the State Government’s commitment to irrigate 35 percent agriculture land in all the blocks in the State. … the minister said out of the 314 blocks, 194 blocks have less than 35 percent irrigated agriculture land.
More than 60 percent of these blocks are in KBK and backward areas, … and … steps have been initiated under different programmes to increase the land under irrigation in these blocks.
Stating that the project to link Bansadhara with Rushikulya river would not be economically viable, the Minister said the State Government was contemplating to implement Lower Bansadhara project which can irrigate 31,000 hectares.
… Leader of Opposition J B Patnaik said 40,000 hectare agriculture land can be brought under irrigation if a dam is constructed on the upper basin of Mahendra Tanaya river.
…, JB said 30 lakh acres could be brought under irrigation within the next five years by spending Rs 8,000 crore. He said pani panchayats should be scrapped.
.jpg){kind=link}
