Bhubaneswar: A day after launching ‘Save Mahanadi’ campaign of his party, the BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday said the state government would spend Rs 75,000 crore in the next five years for development of water resources of the state.
In a statement CMO also said that Patnaik has directed the Water Resources Department to prepare a comprehensive river policy in next three months.
The direction of the CM came after he reviewed the progress of various ongoing developmental projects in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Bargarh and Sundargarh at a meeting at Jharsuguda Wednesday.
Besides, the government would also spend Rs 400 crore in three years for concrete lining of the Bargarh main canal, the statement said, adding the Chief Minister also advised to start the tendering process of the Gangadhar Meher Megalift Canal System in three months.
Water resources minister Niranjan Patnaik had informed media May 12 that the state government is also working on a master plan for construction of barrage projects in the downstream of the Mahanadi river to effectively deal with water crisis.
Pujari had informed that the state government apart from ensuing completion of various ongoing irrigation projects at Suktel, Ong, Jeera, Ranjore and Tel will also construct seven barrages at different points in the Mahanadi downstream to stop draining out of water into sea.
Government will construct 22 more barrages on Mahanadi tributaries to meet various requirements as at present around 53 per cent water of major rivers including Mahanadi is drained to sea every year.
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