Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday tore into the previous Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government while replying to the discussion on the demand for grants for the Water Resources Department in the Odisha Legislative Assembly. The House passed the department’s budget demand of Rs 16,488.92 crore.
Majhi stated that during the 24 years of BJD rule, the situation for farmers was not one of joy but of deep sorrow. “It was not ‘Chasa achhi jahara, ki ananda tahara’ but ‘ki dukha tahara’,” he remarked. He accused the previous regime of failing to provide even a promised ₹100 bonus to farmers. Many farmers had committed suicide during that period due to distress.
The Chief Minister alleged that the Water Resources Department and Rajiv Bhawan had become havens for non-Odia contractors. “Water never reached the farmers’ fields. Only the contractors benefited,” he said, adding that if water had reached the fields, half the farmers’ problems would have been solved. The new government has dismantled this system in the last two years and introduced transparency.
He recalled that in 2006, then Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had promised irrigation to every block, and in 2008, he announced 35% irrigation coverage in every village. However, these remained unfulfilled due to favouritism towards contractors. Notably, 25 blocks received no irrigation water. The current government aims to fulfill the 35% target and is working towards 50% irrigation coverage in every block within five years, potentially irrigating an additional 15 lakh hectares.
In the last two years, the government has provided irrigation to 2.10 lakh hectares. For the upcoming financial year, the target is 3.33 lakh hectares, focusing on areas that previously received no water. By December 2025, irrigation potential for 2.17 lakh hectares had been created. Majhi urged MLAs to submit proposals for their respective constituencies.
He highlighted progress on several key projects: the Upper Lanth irrigation project in Balangir (3,990 hectares), Hadua Dam in Cuttack, Bankatira barrage in Balasore, Turiguntia barrage in Nabarangpur, Khairibandhan barrage in Mayurbhanj, Rengali left canal, Anandpur barrage, Kanupur project, and others, including Sono barrage, Mahendratanaya, Brutanga, and Sandul projects. The government aims to complete these by the end of 2029, bringing an additional 1.64 lakh hectares under irrigation.
On the Mahanadi water dispute and Polavaram project, Majhi said he had discussed the issue with the Union Home Minister during his recent visit to Odisha. He expressed hope for an early resolution and reaffirmed the government’s commitment, contrasting it with the previous government’s stance.
The Chief Minister also criticised the opposition BJD and Congress for stalling the House for three days over the SCB Medical College and Hospital fire incident and demanding the Health Minister’s resignation. He condemned their symbolic funeral processions as mocking the grieving families and called it negative politics and “drama.” Instead of constructive debate, they come to the House, create a ruckus, and walk out, he said.
Majhi noted that the Leader of Opposition, who as former CM rarely attended the assembly properly, is now present every day. While welcoming this, he urged the opposition to raise constituency issues and run the House properly, warning that 4.5 crore Odias will not forgive them otherwise.
He further stated that schemes like Samriddha Krushak Yojana and Subhadra Yojana have helped increase the average annual income of farmer families to over ₹61,000.
The opposition parties staged a walkout after disrupting proceedings, while BJP MLAs participated in the debate.
