BHUBANESWAR/BALANGIR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday targeted the previous BJD government for depriving the drought-prone Balangir district of irrigation for a long time due to inordinate delay in completion of the Lower Suktel project.
Addressing a public meeting at Belpada during his two-day visit to Balangir district, the chief minister said the foundation stone for the project was first laid in 1998 and relaid in 2001. It was inaugurated by the BJD government in a hasty manner just before the general elections even when the project was not fully functional.
“Are you getting water from the Suktel project for your land? You say no. Your agricultural lands are still parched as the funds sanctioned for the project were misutililsed by the engineers for the purchase of dozens of housing plots, flats, buildings, farmhouses and valuable ornaments for themselves,” Majhi said.
He said the project remained incomplete for the last 23 years despite the fact that the then BJD government in 2014-15 had promised to create irrigation potential for at least 35 per cent of the cultivable area in each block of the state. Balangir being drought-prone has the lowest irrigation potential of less than 20 per cent till date, he said.
Asserting that none of the corrupt engineers will be spared, Majhi said his government has launched a massive drive against corruption as a result of which many of them have been sent to jail. Lambasting the BJD for lack of development in the district, he assured that the injustice done by the previous government will be corrected and all ongoing projects expedited.
The chief minister laid foundation stones and inaugurated a slew of infrastructure projects worth Rs 890 crore in the presence of deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo. He laid the foundation stone for development of Tusura airstrip’s 1,330-metre runway at a cost of Rs 65 crore. Post-development, the airstrip will be categorised as 2-B, enabling direct flights between Balangir and Bhubaneswar.
He also laid the foundation stone for the Upper Lanth irrigation project in Belapada block worth over Rs 300 crore. This project will irrigate over 15,000 acre of land in both kharif and rabi seasons benefiting 38,000 farmers from 25 villages in Belapada block. Additionally, the project will generate 210 kilowatts electricity.
The chief minister also urged the public to provide their suggestions for the vision document for a developed Odisha and India. “With your opinions and participation, we will build our dream Odisha - prosperous Odisha and developed Odisha,” he said.