BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday launched the Mukhyamantri Adibandha Tiyari Yojana (MATY)-3.0 with a target of constructing 3,000 new check dams and rehabilitating 2,000 old ones over the next five years.
To be executed at a cost of Rs 2,738 crore, the scheme is expected to provide irrigation facilities to around 48,000 hectare land in the state.
Majhi also inaugurated 101 check dams across 22 districts which will cover 2,416 hectare land. The dams have been built with an investment of `70.27 crore. He also laid foundation stones for 201 check dams in 15 districts, estimated to cost `160 crore, and irrigate 5,342 hectare land.
This apart, the CM also unveiled several key projects including two major lift irrigation projects in Mayurbhanj and Gajapati districts with an investment of Rs 125 crore. These projects will create irrigation potential for 4,000 hectare land and benefit 10,000 farmers.
The other projects launched include underground irrigation system for 10,000 hectare land in Balasore district, a minor irrigation project in Angul district, six lift irrigation projects in Sambalpur district and 28,302 lift irrigation projects across 20 districts, with investments of Rs 33 crore, `355 crore and Rs 1,515 crore, respectively.
The CM also handed over appointment letters to 591 newly-recruited staff of three engineering departments including 571 assistant executive engineers (AEEs), at the 13th Nijukti Mela held here. Of the new recruits, 232 AEEs got appointment in the Water Resources department, 197 in the Works department and 142 in the Housing and Urban Development department.