Naveen pooh-poohs Modi’s claim on irrigation facilities in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today countered Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim during his recent rally in Khurda that the State government has failed in terms of creation of irrigation potential.

Naveen, shooting off a letter to Modi, claimed his government has already created additional irrigation potential of 7.8 lakh hectares since 2014.

“I am happy to share that since 2014, Odisha has created an additional irrigation potential of 7.8 lakh hectare and we are on course to surpass the 10 lakh hectare target that my government has set for itself,” Patnaik wrote in the letter.

Modi, during his speech at Khurda public meeting on December 24, slammed the BJD-led government, saying irrigation facilities were created only in 22,000 hectares against BJD’s poll promise of 10 lakh hectares.

The CM said the Centre can get complete data in the State government’s website. “The detailed information on creation of irrigation potential from April 2014 to November 2018 is also available on our website,” Patnaik said in the letter.

Patnaik also said that the Prime Minister will be happy to know that with the state’s programme, 46 Mega Lift Irrigation projects with ayacut 54,472 hectare, 53,576 deep bore well with ayacut 2,67,880 hectare, 5,837 community lift points with aaycut 1,29,764 hectare, 8,335 check dams with aaycut 97,694 hectare have been created and farmers are getting water from these projects.

Stating that Odisha is among the top states in the country in investment on irrigation as well as creation of irrigation potential, Naveen urged Modi to allocate more funds to boost the irrigation facilities in the State.

From 2014, Rs 26,889 crore has been spent in the irrigation and water sector with contribution of Rs 1,211 crore, which is 4.5 per cent, from the Government of India contribution through PMKGY (AIBP), Patnaik pointed out, adding that in the current year a record Rs 10,196 crore has been provided by the state.

Besides, Patnaik has assured that his government will extend all kinds of support to expedite several projects for which the PM had laid foundation stone during his last state visit.