Irrigation facilities for 0.56 million hectares by 2014

The Orissa government has aimed to bring an additional 0.56 million hectares of agricultural land under irrigation by 2014.

To scale up the area of irrigated agricultural land in the state, a five year Perspective Plan has been prepared and accordingly the percentage of agricultural irrigated land will be raised from 48 per cent at present to 57 per cent by 2014.

In the current financial year, an additional 0.11 million hectares of land will be brought under irrigation, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik informed the state assembly.

Presently, agricultural operations are carried out on 6.1 million hectares of land and irrigation facilities are available on 2.9 million hectares.

"Irrigation facilities have been made available to 0.54 million hectares of land during the kharif season and 0.34 million hectares of land during the rabi season during 2000-01 and 2009-10. An expenditure of Rs 8627.59 crore has been made for this purpose during the said period”, Patnaik said in a written reply.

In 2009-10, irrigation facilities were made available to 64790 hectares during the kharif season and 50350 hectares in the rabi season and Rs 1614.30 crore has been spent in this connection .