BHUBANESWAR: As the construction of the left bank canal (LBC) of the Rengali multipurpose project across Brahmani river is progressing at a snail’s pace, the State government on Saturday set a new target for irrigating nearly 40,000 hectare (ha) of land by 2024.
With the creation of irrigation potential for 9,558 ha for the current kharif crops, the Water Resources department has been asked to ensure that 18,558 ha are brought under assured irrigation by July 2022 and upscaling it to 23,558 ha by July 2023 and to cover the target area of 40,000 ha by July 2024.
The progress of the construction of the left bank canal, four branch canals and distribution canals were reviewed at a high level meeting by Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra. Chief engineer Deeptiranjan Panda told the meeting that construction of 71-km out of the 141-km long left canal has been completed and around 40,000 ha brought under irrigation.
In the second phase, works are in progress for extending the canal upto 123 km along with construction of four branch canals and distribution channels with JICA assistance. After completion of about 25 km of the main canal and two branch canals, 5,846 ha in Kankadahada and Bhuban blocks of Dhenkanal district and 3,712 ha of Sukinda block in Keonjhar district have been covered under irrigation during this kharif season.
On completion, the canal would irrigate 39,416 hectares of land in Dhenkanal, Jajpur and Keonjhar districts. The project got delayed due to delay in land acquisition and forest clearances.
Recently, the divisional forest officers (DFOs) of Cuttack, Athagarh and Dhenkanal districts were asked to take necessary measures for handing over the forest land 261.181 ha to the project implementing agency in consultation with the district collectors concerned.