Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of various irrigation projects for Kalahandi, Cuttack, Dhenkanal and Angul districts. These projects are Sandul Barrage in Kalahandi district, Manjore Irrigation Project in Angul district and Rengali Dam and Samal Barrage Canal System. Through these projects, irrigation facilities will be available to farmlands of Kalahandi, Cuttack, Dhenkanal and Angul districts. More than 32,000 acres of land will be irrigated.
It is worth noting that the canal system of Rengali Dam and Samal Barrage is being implemented in phases. Now its 27.5 km Darpani Branch Canal and 19.5 km Narsinghpur Branch Canal have been completed and its underground pipeline work has also been completed. This will irrigate 15,000 acres of land in Athgarh and Tigiria Blocks of Cuttack district and Dhenkanal Block.
Similarly, the expansion of the Manjore project at Athmallik has also been completed. This will irrigate 5,000 acres of land in 28 villages of Athamallik block and NAC.
The Sandul Barrage project has been completed. The Chief Minister today laid the foundation stone for the underground pipeline project for irrigation. This will provide irrigation in 12,500 acres of farmland in 29 villages of Kesinga, Karlamunda and Narla blocks of Kalahandi district.
Addressing the farmers on this occasion, the Chief Minister said that under the 5T initiative, various irrigation projects in the state are being completed soon. In the last one year, large irrigation projects like Upper Indravati, Lower Indra, Deo, Subaranrekha, and Lower Suktel have been completed and water is being supplied.
Highlighting the issue of agriculture and the welfare of farmers, the Chief Minister said that he has always prioritized the welfare of farmers and the development of agriculture. He added that he has been meeting farmers from different parts of the state in Bhubaneswar and discussing various issues concerning them. He expressed happiness upon knowing that various welfare schemes meant for farmers are being implemented successfully.
The Chief Minister further said that KALIA Yojana, an interest-free loan facility of up to one lakh rupees, a free crop insurance facility, a scholarship scheme for children of farmer families and various schemes and programs are being successfully implemented to increase the income of farmers. Farmer families of the state have been linked with various welfare and development schemes, he added. He said that the women from the farmer families are the most involved in the Mission Shakti program and said that the farmers will benefit the most from ‘Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha’ and ‘LAccMI scheme’.
“We are moving forward with the farmers.’ Stating that farmers are the drivers of our economy, the Chief Minister said that he is always with them, working for them and will continue to do so.
Water Resources Minister Tukuni Sahu, who was present at the event through video conferencing in Balangir, said that in the 24 years since taking charge, the Chief Minister has always emphasized the development and prosperity of farmers. Today, due to the visionary thinking of the Chief Minister, there has been a massive transformation in the field of irrigation sector, Sahu said.
Due to the efforts of the Chief Minister, today not only the male farmers of the state but also the female farmers are coming forward and achieving success in the field of agriculture, she added.
Participating in the programme from Dhenkanal, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment present in Dhenkanal Ranendra Pratap Swain said that what was not done in the field of irrigation in 50 years, the Chief Minister has done it by bringing about extensive transformation in the field of irrigation in 24 years. Realizing that all the problems of the farmers will be solved if the agricultural land is properly irrigated the Chief Minister is taking extensive program for the development of the irrigation sector, Swain pointed out.
The program was coordinated by 5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman Kartik Pandian. Speaking on the occasion Pandian told the farmers present that a decision has been taken in the State Cabinet for ‘Nua-O Chatrabruti’. Under this, there is an annual scholarship of Rs 9,000 for male students and Rs 10,000 for female students. He said that they should inform their children about this scheme and take advantage of it.
Bhupinder Singh, MLA present in Kalahandi and Sudhir Kumar Samal, MLA present in Dhenkanal, praised and thanked the Chief Minister for this farmer welfare program.
In the program, two farmers of Athmallik Santosh Sandha and Tapan Patra said that earlier they depended on rain for farming, now they will benefit by farming properly and reap more harvest from the land through the Manjore project and expressed their gratitude to the Chief Minister and 5T chairman.
In the program, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Water Resources Department and Development Commissioner Anu Garg gave the welcome speech and said that the state government is always giving importance to the development of water resources. Sandul project in Kalahandi district was started under the 5T initiative and has been completed five months ahead of schedule. She said that these projects being implemented today will be very useful for the farmers.
A vote of thanks was offered by the Engineer-in-Chief of the Water Resources Department.
