BHUBANESWAR: In view of the increasing incidence of floods in the Baitarani river system, the State Cabinet on Thursday approved a Rs 200 crore project for construction of barrages on Kochila and Baitarani rivers in Bhadrak and Jajpur districts.
The in-stream storage structure will be constructed across Kochila river near Kuturia village of Bhadrak district and Baitarani river near Dhobabil village of Jajpur district. The work is proposed to be completed in 30 months.
This storage structure will control the flood situation in Kochila river and rejuvenate the Baitarani river. It will also meet drinking water and domestic requirements of the people of Dhamnagar block of Bhadrak district and Dasarathpur block of Jajpur district leading to improvement of their socio-economic condition.
The scheme was formulated by the State government during 2019-2020 with an outlay of Rs 11,700 crore to create large water bodies within river embankments without displacement of people.
The Cabinet also approved Rs 634.14 crore project to take water from the Lower Suktel reservoir through intake well/channel and subsequent lifting through pressurized underground pipeline network to left command area of Balangir district. The project has been targeted to be completed in 30 months. It will provide irrigation facility to 13,000 hectares in Balangir district.
A proposal to create additional irrigation potential of about 12,914 hectares in Jajpur and Kendrapara districts by lifting water from Kharsua, Kani and Baitarani rivers through intake system and subsequent flow through pressurized distribution under Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation scheme was approved.
The Rs 366 crore project will be completed in three years. The farmers of Jajpur and Kendrapara districts will be benefited on completion of this project.
Besides, a Rs 430 crore project was approved under the Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme to create additional irrigation potential of about 13,547 hectares in Kalahandi, Bargarh, Balangir and Gajapati districts by lifting water from Mahanadi, lndravati reservoir, lndravati, Ong and Suktel rivers. Similar projects were also approved to benefit the farmers of Cuttack, Angul, Jajpur, Keonjhar and Kendrapara districts.
The Cabinet gave the green signal to the Rs 87 crore project for widening and strengthening of 30 km stretch of Sonepur — Binka — Rampur - Dunguripali road to provide better connectivity and reduce traffic congestion.