With monsoon playing truant, the State Government on Friday decided to install at least one lakh bore-wells in three years to overcome water scarcity for cultivation.
“The Government has decided to install at least one lakh bore-wells to extend irrigation facilities,” said a senior official after attending a meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, here.
One lakh bore-wells could alone provide sufficient water to 10 lakh hectare during kharif season and two lakh hectare in rabi, he said. The State, at present, has 13,000 bore-wells for irrigation. While only 2,514 bore-wells are electrified so far, the State Government has set a target to energise another 5,000 within a month.
All the existing bore-wells would be electrified by end-October before the ensuing rabi, he said. With availability of bore-wells, the farmers could get water round the year, plant three crops annually and also cultivate vegetables. They can also take to horticulture. One bore-well could easily irrigate 10 hectare. The State Government has constructed 2,000 check dams on rivers which could also come to the rescue of the farmers during a water crisis, the official said. It was also decided that the Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation (OLIC) would be strengthened further by engaging technical personnel. Development Commissioner RN Senapati and senior officials attended the meeting.
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