Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet on Friday approved a series of lift irrigation projects across four districts under the Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme, aiming to expand irrigation coverage and improve the socio-economic condition of farmers in upland areas.

The scheme, with a total outlay of Rs 10,759.20 crore, has been designed to provide supplemental irrigation during the kharif season by lifting surplus water from rivers, reservoirs and canals to ayacut that could not be covered earlier due to geographical constraints. It targets an upland ayacut of about 2.63 lakh hectares across the state.

As part of the latest decisions, the Cabinet cleared projects in Sambalpur, Sonepur, Jajpur, and Keonjhar-Mayurbhanj clusters.

In Sambalpur district, four lift irrigation schemes under Cluster XXVII were approved to create an additional irrigation potential of around 6,210 hectares. Water will be sourced from the Hirakud reservoir and distributed through a pressurised system. The project, awarded to M/s Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd, will be executed at a cost of over Rs 204 crore, with an additional Rs 16.33 crore earmarked for operation and maintenance over 15 years. It is scheduled for completion within 36 months and is expected to benefit farmers in 54 villages.

Similarly, in Sonepur district, four projects under Cluster XXX will cover about 6,025 hectares by lifting water from the Tel river and its confluence points. The project will be implemented at a cost of around Rs 170 crore, with Rs 13.61 crore allocated for long-term maintenance. It will benefit 47 villages and is also slated for completion in 36 months.

In Jajpur district, the Cabinet approved four schemes under Cluster XXXVII to bring nearly 5,950 hectares under irrigation. Water will be lifted from the Kharasua and Brahmani rivers. The project cost stands at approximately Rs 158.86 crore, with an additional Rs 12.70 crore for maintenance over 15 years. Around 73 villages are expected to benefit.

For the Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts, three schemes under Cluster XXXVIII were cleared to irrigate about 4,280 hectares. Water will be sourced from the Kanpur Main Canal, Ardei Nadi, and Balisudra River. The total execution cost is estimated at Rs 92.98 crore, with Rs 7.48 crore set aside for maintenance. Unlike the other projects, this cluster is planned to be completed within 24 months and will cover 33 villages across the two districts.

The projects will encourage farmers to shift from water-intensive paddy cultivation to more profitable cash crops, supported by micro-irrigation systems. The initiative is also expected to enhance farm incomes and strengthen rural livelihoods in the targeted regions.