ADB to provide Rs 1251 crore assistance for improvement of irrigation network in Orissa

Ratikant Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, May 8: The Asian Development Bank has agreed to provide Rs 1251 crore assistance to Orissa government for participatory irrigation management (PIM) and integrated water resources management (IWRM).

The first installment of the money will be released in the first quarter of the year 2008-09.

Speaking to reporters after meeting chief minister Navin Patnaik here on Tuesday, ADB country director Tadashi Kondo said the proposed projects to be funded by the Bank would be completed within seven years.

The ADB Project Preparatory Technical Assistance (PPTA) wing has already prepared a detailed project report (DPR) on the two aspects of irrigation and water resource and management.

This apart, it is also preparing the Orissa Integrated Irrigated Agriculture and Water Management Project (OIIAWMP).

State water resources department commissioner cum secretary Arabinda Behera said after completion of the projects, at least three lakh hectares of land will come under irrigation network.

At present, at least 60 thousand hectares of agricultural land are water logged. The ADB assisted projects would ensure drainage of waters from such lands and provide additional irrigation facilities to at least 30 thousand acres of land, Mr Behera said.
Mr Behera stated that the ADB assisted projects aim at enhancing the productivity and sustainability of existing under utilised major, medium and minor (lift) irrigation schemes in four river basins of Brahmani, Baitarani, Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha.

A priority irrigation scheme, stated Mr Behera, has been initiated in the Mahanadi delta Stage-I area. The preparation process was taken up in November 2006 and is expected to be completed within the current month. Draft project reports for appraisal would be prepared by the Union government, Orissa government and ADB, he added.