BHUBANESWAR: After installation and energisation of 97,000 deep borewells by the end of March this year, the State government has set an ambitious target to drill another one lakh borewells by 2025-26 to create irrigation potential for about 5 lakh hectares (ha) of agricultural land.
Estimated to cost Rs 4,198.16 crore, these borewells will be installed by the Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation (OLIC) through a tendering process. The average unit cost of each borewell is Rs 3.88 lakh including electrical substations, power-line and pumping units. Each of the proposed borewells will cover an ayacut area of 5 ha.
The State-sponsored programme launched under 'Deep Borewell Secha Karyakrama' in 2010-11 was reviewed at a meeting here chaired by Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra on Saturday. The government has sanctioned 419 borewells specially for the Swabhiman Anchal in Malkangiri district.
Mahapatra asked OLIC to complete the tendering process of the 419 borewells within a maximum of three months. The corporation will invite farmers to derive the benefit of irrigation assistance from the government.
The contribution of beneficiary farmers in the project is 10 per cent of the project cost subject to a maximum of Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 for SC and ST persons belonging to BPL category. The beneficiary is to pay Rs 1,000 (non-refundable) after scrutiny of application and the balance Rs 19,000 after successful completion of drilling and testing.
The beneficiary has to bear all cost towards service connection, inspection fee and security deposit and enter into power supply agreement with respective power distribution companies. The borewell after energisation will be handed over to the beneficiary for operation and maintenance.
The meeting decided to install 12,500 in inaccessible and difficult terrain which will be solar power-enabled for pumping water. Around 492.5 crore will be spent for the project, each unit costing Rs 3.94 lakh. On completion, these projects will irrigate 62,500 ha of land in water scarcity areas.
IRRIGATION PLAN
Cost estimate Rs 4,198.16 crore
Average unit cost of each borewell Rs 3.88 lakh
Implementing body - Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation