Bhubaneswar, Apr 5: Stating that a target of 2.6 lakh hectare of additional irrigation has been set for the year 2016-17, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday called upon Junior Engineers and Assistant Engineers of Water Resources department to ensure appropriate accountability at all level.
Addressing Engineers of Water Resources department through video conferencing here today, Patnaik said the State government has committed to the farmers of Odisha to bring additional 10 lakh hectares of agricultural land under irrigation coverage by March 2019.
“The Water Resources department should do well in setting target for individual sub-sectors of the department Chief Engineers of concerned sub-sector need to drill down the target right up to the Junior Engineers and Assistant Engineers for ensuring accountability at all level”, he pointed out.
The Chief Minister added that the department must ensure that all incomplete project continue their construction activities in full swing by resolving all their problems. He stressed the need for completion of all minor irrigation projects in this financial year.
Patnaik said mega lift irrigation is an important strategy of the State government’s scheme of creating additional irrigation. “There should be close monitoring and follow up to ensure that at least 40 mega lift irrigation projects are commissioned in 2016-17”, he stated.
The Chief Minister asked the department to take up energisation of deep bore wells for which farmers’ shares have already been collected, in a mission mode. He directed OLIC to ensure that all bore wells are sunk and energized in this financial year.
Patnaik said the State government has decided to restructure and strengthen the drainage organization. “The restructured drainage organization must undertake large number of creek irrigation projects in non-irrigated pockets of the coastal districts”, he stated, adding command area development is also an important strategy for equitable distribution of water.
The Chief Minister said every engineer of Water Resources department must ensure water use efficiency in close collaboration with Agriculture Field Establishment. He asked the engineers of the department not to compromise on quality of assents and warned any lapse would be dealt with sternly by his government.
