Bhubaneswar, Jan 22 (IANS) Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday said that the state government is committed to providing irrigation facilities to more than 90 per cent of the state’s cultivable land as part of its vision to make Odisha a prosperous state by 2036.

Addressing a state-level programme on the Pani Panchayat system here, Chief Minister Majhi said that proper and effective management of water resources is crucial for achieving agricultural development, economic growth, and the overall progress of the state.

He further announced that over the next five years, an additional 1.5 million hectares of land will be brought under irrigation through major, medium, and minor irrigation projects, lift irrigation systems, mega lift projects, and the construction of check dams.

According to official sources, at present, 40,380 Pani Panchayats are actively functioning in the state, managing irrigation for 2.412 million hectares of land.

Through the Odisha Pani Panchayat Act, 2002 and its subsequent amendments, equal rights and opportunities have been ensured for women, fishermen, and water users.

In his address, the Chief Minister noted that traditional irrigation methods led to wastage of water, whereas the Pani Panchayat system has enabled equitable and efficient distribution of water resources.

He further informed that works on several irrigation and water resource projects are progressing rapidly across the state, including the Khairibandhan Barrage in Mayurbhanj, the Upper Lanth Irrigation Project in Balangir, the Sandul underground pipeline project in Kalahandi, and the Brutanga Irrigation Project in Nayagarh, along with several reservoir and canal projects.

“With the vision of making Odisha a prosperous state by 2036, the government is committed to providing irrigation facilities to more than 90 per cent of cultivable land,” said Majhi.

Calling upon farmers to enhance their incomes through crop diversification, vegetable cultivation, and horticulture, the Chief Minister said that a Samruddha Odisha cannot be achieved without prosperous farmers.

He added that the government has introduced several schemes and programmes to make farmers self-reliant.

Majhi further emphasised that the state government is prioritising climate-resilient agriculture through the Odisha Integrated Irrigation Project by promoting climate-resilient farming practices, technological interventions in agriculture, crop diversification, and the use of resilient seed varieties.

CM Majhi further stated that, to adopt advanced technology in the irrigation sector, the Institute of Water Management has been engaged to implement IoT-enabled digital water measurement and soil moisture sensing systems.

He added that an MoU has also been signed to enhance the capacity and skills of Pani Panchayats.

The Chief Minister also informed that a pilot project has been undertaken in the Chandapala area of Nuapada district, covering 2,567 hectares, to promote modern water-use efficiency and community-managed irrigation systems.

–IANS

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