BHUBANESWAR:The State Government may not achieve its target to create additional irrigation potential for over 60,000 hectares (ha) of cultivable land under the externally-funded tank irrigation systems.
The State Government availed World Bank assistance of $87.80 million (Rs 375 crore approximately) to meet its resource gap for repair and renovation of 324 community tanks for irrigation purpose.
The Odisha Community Tank Management Project (OCTMP) was started in January, 2009 with an objective to stabilise community tanks to create additional irrigation potential for 60,027.53 ha in 12 districts.
The main objective of the project was to increase production and productivity in agriculture, livestock, fisheries and promote more effective and sustainable management for tank systems through community participation.
As per the agreement with World Bank, the project should be completed by June, 2016. By the end of December, 2014, work in 110 tanks has been completed with creation of irrigation potential for 12,782 ha, official sources said.
Of 51 tanks taken up under the project in Angul district with a design ayacut of 13,073 ha, only one tank has been stabilised by creating irrigation potential for 41 ha, the sources said.
Highest number of 92 community tanks are covered under the programme in Khurda district and work on 24 tanks has been completed with creation of irrigation potential for 2499 ha.
The progress of the project is not satisfactory in Balasore, Bargarh, Boudh, Gajapati and Jharsuguda districts.
However, Mayurbhanj and Rayagada districts have made significant progress. Of eight community tanks under rehabilitation, seven have been completed while in Rayagada district, 14 out of 17 tanks have been repaired and renovated.
While the cost of the project has been revised to Rs 432 crore, the State Government has made a budgetary provision of Rs 120 crore in the current fiscal under OCTMP.
The Centre had pulled up the State Government for its failure to complete major, medium and minor irrigation projects sanctioned under accelerated irrigation benefit programme (AIBP).
As many as 81 minor irrigation projects with an estimated cost of Rs 220 crore are under implementation. On completion of these projects, an additional irrigation potential for 23,959 ha will be created. The State has completed only 45 projects with an investment of Rs 190 crore and three projects have been dropped.