Odisha CM rejects PM speech for laxity in irrigation projects

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Baripada visit on January 5, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday said Odisha was among the top states in the country in terms of creation of irrigation potential. Patnaik was referring to media reports on Modi's speech at Khurda public meeting on December 24 where the prime minister criticised the state government for not being able to create irrigation potential in 10 lakh hectare additional land as promised by the ruling BJD during the 2014 elections.

In his speech, Modi had said that the state government could create additional irrigation potential in only 22,000 hectares while the ruling party had promised 10 lakh hectare of additional land within five years. "I am happy to share that since 2014, Odisha has created additional irrigation potential of 7.8 lakh hectare and we are on course to surpass the 10 lakh hectare target that my government has set for itself," Patnaik wrote in the letter to Modi. From 2014, Rs 26,889 crore has been spent in the irrigation and water sector with contribution of Rs 1,211 crore, which is 4.5 per cent, from the Government of India contribution through PMKGY (AIBP), Patnaik pointed out adding that in the current year a record Rs 10,196 crore has been provided by the state.

Patnaik also said that the prime minister will be happy to know that with the state's programme, 46 Mega Lift Irrigation projects with ayacut 54,472 hectares, 53,576 deep bores well with ayacut 2,67,880 hectare, 5,837 community lift points with layout 1,29,764 hectare, 8,335 check dams with layout 97,694 hectares have been created and farmers are getting water from these projects. "The detailed information on the creation of irrigation potential from April 2014 to November 2018 is also available on our website," Patnaik said in the letter. Patnaik said: "Odisha is amongst the top states in the country in investment on irrigation as well as the creation of irrigation potential." The chief minister also sought the prime minister's support for Odisha and its people.