Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Wednesday approved tender for four lift irrigation schemes under the flagship Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme, aimed at boosting agricultural productivity in the upland areas of Jharsuguda district.
The approved project will create an additional irrigation potential of approximately 6,480 hectares by lifting surplus water from the Ib River, Hirakud Reservoir, and the confluence of the Bheden and Ib Rivers. Water will be distributed through a pressurised pipeline system, ensuring efficient delivery to farmlands that were previously unreachable via traditional gravity-flow irrigation due to geographical challenges.
The execution cost for the project has been set at Rs 167.34 crore (excluding GST), with an additional Rs 13.39 crore allocated for 15 years of operation and maintenance (O&M). The works are scheduled for completion within 36 months.
Upon commissioning, the initiative is expected t
o benefit farmers in 101 villages across Jharsuguda district.
Officials highlighted that the micro-irrigation-compatible design will encourage a shift from water-intensive paddy cultivation to higher-value cash crops, potentially enhancing income levels and improving the socio-economic conditions of local farming communities.
Similarly, the Cabinet approved a proposal to strengthen community participation and improve transparency in project selection under Bikashita Gaon Bikashita Odisha Scheme. “The corrigendum shifts the scheme toward a more participatory, bottom-up approach and enhances accountability in project implementation,” an official release said.
Under the revised process, need-based project proposals can now be invited from PRI members/elected representatives /civil society members by publishing a notice in the notice board of the Collectorate, Zilla Parishad, Block, GPs and in the District webportal. These proposals will be reviewed by a District-Level Committee chaired by the District Collector. List of the finalised projects will be approved by the Collector of the district concerned.
“In order to strengthen accountability in all projects exceeding Rs 10 lakh, a mandatory Defect Liability Period (DLP) of three years has been introduced from the date of completion. The new framework will be implemented starting from the Financial Year 2025-26,” it added.