📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Rishita Bhattacharya
Agriculture
Odisha Approves Five River Storage Projects Worth Rs 625 Crore to Strengthen Water Security
✍️ India Today
🗓 13 Nov 2026, 07:32 PM
👁 13
The Odisha government has cleared five river storage schemes totaling Rs 625 crore, aiming to improve water availability for irrigation and drinking across the state.
The state cabinet of Odisha gave the green light to five river storage projects with a combined outlay of Rs 625 crore. The schemes are slated to capture and store monsoon runoff in strategically located reservoirs, thereby augmenting water supply for agricultural lands and urban centres.
Officials said the projects will be implemented over the next three years, with funding sourced from the state’s water security fund and central assistance under the National River Linking Programme. Once operational, the reservoirs are expected to add several hundred million cubic metres of water storage capacity.
The move comes amid recurring droughts and erratic rainfall patterns that have strained farmers and municipal water systems. State Water Resources Minister highlighted that the initiative aligns with Odisha’s broader goal of achieving self‑sufficiency in water resources and reducing dependence on external sources.
Stakeholders, including farmer unions and local NGOs, have welcomed the decision but urged swift execution and transparent monitoring to ensure the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries.
The projects will also incorporate modern flood‑control measures and community‑based management frameworks to sustain the reservoirs over the long term.
Officials said the projects will be implemented over the next three years, with funding sourced from the state’s water security fund and central assistance under the National River Linking Programme. Once operational, the reservoirs are expected to add several hundred million cubic metres of water storage capacity.
The move comes amid recurring droughts and erratic rainfall patterns that have strained farmers and municipal water systems. State Water Resources Minister highlighted that the initiative aligns with Odisha’s broader goal of achieving self‑sufficiency in water resources and reducing dependence on external sources.
Stakeholders, including farmer unions and local NGOs, have welcomed the decision but urged swift execution and transparent monitoring to ensure the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries.
The projects will also incorporate modern flood‑control measures and community‑based management frameworks to sustain the reservoirs over the long term.