DHENKANAL: Water Resources Minister Raghunandan Das on Saturday directed officials concerned to ensure irrigation facilities are available for all farmers across the district.
In a meeting with officials to review the district’s irrigation status and assess the progress of ongoing projects, Das expressed concern over the functioning of Rengali canal.
Only 2,405 hectares of land is being irrigated by the canal, which has the capacity to supply water to 10,356 hectares.
Similarly, Rengali right canal, supposed to irrigate 33,115 hectare of land, is supplying water to 15,209 hectare cropland. Dhenkanal MLA Sudhir Kumar Samal said that engineers are staying away from pani panchayat meetings and this has affected the project.
Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahoo urged the Minister to improve irrigation facilities in the district by activating the Government machinery.
Sources said the maximum agricultural land under irrigation in the district is in Kamakshyanagar block. Rengali Right Irrigation Project Chief Construction Engineer S K Rath said the project will be completed by June 2021. The Government has allotted an additional Rs 74 crore for a mega lift irrigation project.