Rs 1787 cr JICA aid for Odisha’s Rengali irrigation project

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, May 19:

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will lend final assistance to the tune of Rs 1787 crore to the Odisha government for the second phase of the Rengali Left Dam mega irrigation project in Angul district, which will provide irrigation to 39,416 hectares of land.

This was revealed at a high level review meeting on the said project presided over by chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat here on Monday.

The meeting was informed that out of a total of 100.49 km, construction work of the main canal and distribution system up to 71.13 km from the Rengali Left Dam has been completed since 2012 while the work on the remaining 29.36 km is underway with an investment of Rs 288.81 crore by the state government.

It was revealed that apart from the work for the remaining 29 km, JAICA would provide financial assistance for construction of the main canal and distribution system from 100.49 km to 123 km.

The project work, scheduled to begin this year, is expected to be completed by 2023.

The mega project will provide irrigation to 5788 hectares in Bhuban branch canal system, 8110 hectares in Sukinga branch canal system, 6640 hectares in Barapada branch canal system, 13,500 in Korei branch canal system and 5683 hectares in other branch canal systems.

Among others, chief secretary GC Pati, Development Commissioner UN Behera, additional chief secretary to chief minister AP Padhi and principal secretary, Agriculture, Rajesh Verma were present at the meeting.