Orissa to set up mega lift-irrigation projects

Bhubaneswar, Jan 14 (PTI) In a bid to ensure that 35per cent of the state''s agricultural land was irrigated in thenext five years, the Orissa government today decided toimplement mega lift irrigation projects, official sourcessaid.

This was decided at a meeting chaired by ChiefMinister Naveen Patnaik. The mega lift irrigation projectswould be set up mostly in the areas having less than 35 percent of irrigated land and the area dependant on rains foragricultural activities, they said.

Stating that mega lift irrigation projects would becost effective and have no impact on environment, an officialsaid no land was required for acquisition for setting up suchprojects.

The state government had targeted to irrigate abouttwo lakh hectare of land by setting up at least 100 mega liftirrigation projects in three years, he said.

The meeting also discussed on the provision of deepbore wells and construction of check dams on rivers tofacilitate irrigation. The state government had already takenup a job of digging 400 bore wells in 17 districts having hardsoil.

This apart, the state government had also taken up aRs 100 crore project to construct 2,000 check dams overdifferent rivers for ensuring better irrigation facilities.

While 263 check dams had already been completed, workof 240 others were at different stages, the official said.

"The work of about 1,000 check dams will be completedby March," he said.