In a significant boost to the state’s agricultural sector, the 46th Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, approved two key proposals from the Department of Water Resources.
These initiatives aim to expand assured irrigation, enhance water-use efficiency, and strengthen the resilience of Odisha’s farming community against erratic rainfall and climate challenges.
The star approval is the Parbatigiri Megalift Irrigation Project, a massive state-funded initiative with an outlay of ₹12,458.04 crore. To be implemented over five years from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31, the project will create an additional irrigation potential of 2,62,275 hectares through 161 schemes spanning all districts of Odisha.
Building on the success of earlier mega lift programmes—209 schemes already completed, irrigating 2.66 lakh hectares across 23 districts—the new project targets upland and water-deficit areas where traditional gravity-based irrigation is not feasible. It will use efficient underground pipeline (UGPL) distribution systems that minimise conveyance losses and are fully compatible with micro-irrigation technologies.
Officials noted that the relatively short gestation period of mega lift projects means farmers will start reaping benefits much faster than conventional irrigation schemes. Assured water supply is expected to encourage a shift from water-intensive paddy to high-value cash crops, raise cropping intensity across multiple seasons, and significantly improve farm incomes while promoting sustainable water use.
Complementing this mega push, the Cabinet also cleared the “Improvement to Tanks & MIPs – Phase-III” scheme. With a total outlay of ₹389 crore to be spent over four years (FY 2026-27 to FY 2029-30), the programme will renovate 680 Minor Irrigation Projects (including spillover works from Phase-II). Interventions include desilting of reservoirs, strengthening of dam embankments, repair of spillways and head regulators, and canal improvements.
These works will restore live storage capacity to designed levels and revive irrigation potential over approximately 15,700 hectares. Beyond irrigation, the upgraded tanks and MIPs will support pisciculture, improve infrastructure safety, and contribute to better rural livelihoods across the state.
