Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio on Thursday informed the Odisha Assembly that the state has created an irrigation potential of 52.10 lakh hectares as of December 2025, covering a substantial portion of its cultivable land.
In a written reply to a question by BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain, the Chief Minister said the irrigation potential has been developed through a mix of major and medium projects, mega lift irrigation schemes, minor (flow) and minor lift projects, including initiatives like CLIP and deep bore wells, as well as other sources.
Majhi stated that Odisha’s total cultivable area stands at around 61.80 lakh hectares, of which nearly 84 per cent is covered under irrigation potential on an aggregate basis.
However, the government has identified 25 blocks across multiple districts where irrigation coverage remains below 35 per cent. These blocks are located in districts including Jagatsinghpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Khurda, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Puri, Rayagada and Sundergarh.
To address these gaps, the Water Resources Department has planned a series of projects for the 2025–26 financial year, aiming to bring an additional 2.77 lakh hectares under irrigation through major, medium, mega lift, minor and other schemes.
Responding to specific concerns regarding Chhatrapur, Ganjam, Kukudakhandi and Rangeilunda blocks in Ganjam district, the Chief Minister said irrigation in these areas depends on water drawn from the Rushikulya River and Bahuda River. He clarified that currently only the state’s allocated share of water from these rivers is being utilised.
