Chief Secretary reviews irrigation projects

BHUBANESWAR: With a target to create irrigation potential for 1.12 lakh hectares during the current financial year, Chief Secretary BK Patnaik asked the Water Resources Department to meet the target without fail.Reviewing the progress of 12 ongoing medium and major irrigation projects at a meeting here on Tuesday, Patnaik directed the department to fix yearly targets for engineers and assess their performance on the basis of achievement of their target.With less than half of the cultivable areas of the state under assured irrigation and many blocks having less than 35 per cent irrigation facility, the Chief Secretary told the department to address priorities.He was particularly annoyed over the poor expenditure of the department despite huge budgetary provision.In a major policy decision in 2004-05, the Government announced to create irrigation potential for at least 35 per cent of the cultivable land in each block. Out of 314 blocks, 198 were having less than 35 per cent irrigation potential. Only 35 blocks could be reached.The Government has created an additional irrigation potential for 2.11 lakh hectares during the last five years with an expenditure of over Rs 8,500 crore. Given the track record of the department, the target for the current financial year appears ambitious.Patnaik reviewed the work progress of Indravati, Lower Indravati, Rengali right and left canals, Subarnarekha, Rukura, Telengiri, Ret, Kanpur and Baghalti irrigation projects. The projects are taken up at an estimated cost of over Rs 10,000 crore. While Indravati project will provide irrigation to Kalahani district, the Lower Indravati project will benefit Nuapada and Balangir districts. However, these projects have so far covered 36,780 hectares under assured irrigation, the Chief Secretary was told.