As many as 1817 water bodies, mostly the minor irrigation projects (MIPs) in 20 districts of Orissa, would be revitalized under the Centrally sponsored scheme of Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies.
These water bodies would be revitalized within a period of three years at an estimated cost of Rs 595.14 crore.
The funding for these projects would be shared between the Government of India and the Orissa government in the ratio of 90:10 for the Maoist infested, drought prone and backward districts of Kalahandi, Bolangir and Koraput (KBK).
For the other districts, the share between the Centre and the state government will be 25 per cent and 75 per cent respectively.
While the design ayacut of all 1817 projects was 2, 48,545.86 hectares, the irrigation potential of an additional 89,110.02 hectares of land would be revived through these projects, sources said.
Most of these projects under the RRR scheme are being taken up in south Orissa's Ganjam district. About 800 projects under the scheme are to be taken up in the district at a cost of Rs 250.87 crore.
While the design ayacut of these 800 projects, mostly the MIPs was 49,743 hectares in the district, the irrigation potential of 32,042 hectares would be revived after completion of the scheme, said Jamini Kanta Das, member convener, District Level Implementation and Monitoring Committee, Ganjam and the executive Engineer (Minor Irrigation).
Besides the MIPs in the districts, 10 community ponds of Khallikote and Kabisurya Nagar urban areas in the district have also been taken under the scheme, he said.
Apart from Ganjam and KBK, the other districts where the scheme will be implemented are Bargarh, Bolangir, Gajapati, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Mayurbhanaj, Nabarangapur, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Rayagada, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Balasore, Malkanagiri, Subarnapur, Deogarh and Dhenkanal.
The pilot project for this scheme was implemented for 137 projects in Ganjam and Gajapati districts at a cost of Rs 18.84 crore during 2005-06 to 2008-09.
