BHUBANESWAR: The State government has decided to launch a new scheme with an outlay of Rs 497.1 crore in convergence with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to complete all works undertaken under the Command Area Development and Water Management (CADWM) programme.
The CADWM programme was started in Odisha in 1976-77 to bridge the gap between irrigation potential created and irrigation potential utilised by creating micro level distribution network for equitable distribution of water. The activities were taken up under Centrally sponsored schemes from 1976-77 to 2015-16. Thereafter, the Central assistance has been limited to only eight prioritised major and medium irrigation projects under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY).
Official sources said the present scheme has been launched to complete the CADWM activities in balance area of the irrigation projects in a phased manner in three years. The command area includes 15 major, 59 medium and 3,713 minor irrigaWtion projects.
The scheme components include construction of field channel in 1,37,000 hectare and micro irrigation system in 1,500 hectare. Besides, topographical survey and planning for alignment of field channels will be conducted over 72,000 hectare in different commands.
The MGNREGS components in the work will be increased to 50 per cent to create employment potential. All the projects will have to be geo-tagged, sources said and added that pani panchayats will be organised before launching of any project.