Odisha backs Rs 220 Cr irrigation push

Odisha’s cabinet has approved four new lift-irrigation schemes in Sambalpur, with more than Rs 220 crore set aside to bring reservoir water to upland farms. (newindianexpress.com) The decision was cleared on April 10 under Cluster XXVII of the Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme, a state program that pumps water from rivers, reservoirs and canals to higher-elevation fields that gravity canals do not reach. Odisha says the wider scheme carries a total outlay of Rs 10,759.20 crore and targets about 2.63 lakh hectares of upland ayacut across the state. (sambadenglish.com) In Sambalpur, the four schemes are designed to irrigate about 6,210 hectares in 54 villages by lifting water from the Hirakud reservoir through a pressurised distribution system. The work has been awarded to Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd, with Rs 16.33 crore more earmarked for operation and maintenance over 15 years. (sambadenglish.com) The state has set a 36-month construction timeline for the Sambalpur package. Farmers in the district have told local media the project could reduce dependence on erratic rainfall and support more than one crop season. (newindianexpress.com) The cabinet did not stop at Sambalpur. It also cleared four projects in Sonepur covering about 6,025 hectares, four in Jajpur covering nearly 5,950 hectares, and three in the Keonjhar-Mayurbhanj cluster covering about 4,280 hectares. (sambadenglish.com) Those projects draw from different water sources: the Tel river in Sonepur, the Kharasua and Brahmani rivers in Jajpur, and the Kanpur Main Canal, Ardei Nadi and Balisudra River in Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj. Odisha has set 36 months for the Sonepur and Jajpur works and 24 months for the Keonjhar-Mayurbhanj package. (sambadenglish.com) State officials say the design is meant to push micro-irrigation and crop diversification, including a shift away from water-intensive paddy in some areas toward higher-value crops. Odisha used the same language in describing the Hadua irrigation project in Cuttack, another cabinet-cleared water project from the same April 10 meeting. (odishabytes.com) The approvals also fit into a broader water-infrastructure push by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s government. On March 22, 2026, the state launched and inaugurated irrigation, drinking water and groundwater recharge projects worth Rs 2,612 crore at a World Water Day event in Bhubaneswar. (business-standard.com) For western Odisha, the immediate test is whether pumps, pipelines and long-term maintenance arrive on schedule. If the 36-month target holds, the state’s latest bet is that assured water can turn rain-fed upland farming into a more predictable business. (sambadenglish.com)