In a decisive step towards strengthening Odisha’s agricultural backbone, the 45th meeting of the State Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at Lok Seva Bhawan, today approved 11 proposals from six departments.
The Department of Water Resources led the pack with five significant clearances, focusing on expanding irrigation coverage and ensuring administrative justice.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg briefed the media after the meeting, highlighting the government’s commitment to timely project execution and farmer welfare.
Underground Pipelines for Anandapur Barrage Project
Two packages under the Integrated Anandapur Barrage Project received the green light. The first covers the construction of a distribution system for 7,171.77 hectares of cultivable command area (CCA) along the Salandi Left Main Canal (from RD 40.927 km to 45.570 km) through an underground pipeline (gravity flow) system in Balasore district. The Cabinet approved an execution cost of ₹145.70 crore (excluding GST) plus ₹7.30 crore for five-year operation and maintenance. The work will be completed in 24 months and will irrigate land in Soro and Oupada blocks.
The second package targets 5,052.68 hectares between 60.304 km and 71.505 km of the same canal. Approved at ₹112.51 crore (excluding GST) for execution and ₹5.63 crore for five-year O&M, it will benefit farmers in Nilgiri, Soro, Remuna and Balasore Sadar blocks. Both packages form part of nine underground pipeline packages designed to overcome land-acquisition delays in the balance 57,000 hectares of the 60,000-hectare project spanning Keonjhar and Balasore districts.
Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Gains Momentum
Two clusters under the ambitious Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme (total outlay ₹10,759.20 crore) were also cleared. Cluster XXXIV, comprising five lift irrigation schemes, will create an additional 7,700 hectares of irrigation potential in Khurda and Puri districts by lifting water from the Mahanadi and Daya rivers. The Cabinet approved the lowest bid of ₹234.78 crore (without GST) for execution and ₹21.81 crore for 15-year O&M, with completion targeted in 36 months. Farmers from 54 villages in Khurda and 38 villages in Puri stand to benefit.
Cluster XXXV involves four schemes creating 4,050 hectares of potential in Rayagada and Gajapati districts by drawing water from the Harabhangi and Vansadhara rivers. Execution cost stands at ₹133.19 crore (without GST), with ₹12.37 crore for 15-year O&M, again over 36 months. Twenty-nine villages in Rayagada and nine in Gajapati will gain, encouraging a shift from high-duty paddy to cash crops through micro-irrigation compatibility.
Service Regularisation as per Supreme Court Order
In a significant administrative decision, the Cabinet approved the regularisation of Satyashri Mohapatra, Assistant Executive Engineer (Mechanical) (work-charged), into the Odisha Engineering Service (OES) cadre. This follows the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the State’s SLP on 2 April 2026, upholding earlier High Court orders. The move involves a one-time relaxation of relevant recruitment rules after consultations with Law, GA&PG, and Finance Departments and the Odisha Public Service Commission.
These approvals are expected to transform the socio-economic landscape of thousands of farming families across multiple districts by ensuring reliable water supply, reducing land-acquisition bottlenecks, and promoting efficient pressurised and underground irrigation systems.
Odisha Cabinet Greenlights 11 Proposals: Water Resources Leads with 5 Approvals
