Odisha government had earlier proposed Mahanadi Godavari Link Project by constructing a storage reservoir on Mahanadi River at Manibhadra and a link canal from this reservoir to the Godavari River. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
With an aim to negate vagaries of climate change, resulting water crisis, Odisha cabinet has decided to come with six river linking projects with a budgetary outlay of ₹1790 crore.
The State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Friday (October 10, 2025) has approved an ambitious scheme titled – Intra-State River Linking Scheme in Odisha at an investment of ₹1790 crore. These projects will be executed over a period of five years 2025-26 to 2029-30 fiscal.
As per the government, the project which intends to connect water-surplus river basins with water-deficient regions will improve drought resilience, create additional water storage, mitigate flood risks, and boost agricultural productivity.
Initially, the government is looking to take up Katra Link Project (feeder channels from Kansapal), Vansadhara-Rushikulya (Nandini Nalla) intra-link project, Hiradharbati Flood Flow Channel Project, Bahuda Tampara Link Project, Ong-Suktel Garland Canal Project and Telengiri-Upper Kolab Project.
There are twelve major rivers flowing in the State, of which the Mahanadi is the longest and the Bahuda is the shortest. The rivers of Odisha are mainly rainfed. Odisha government had earlier proposed
Odisha government had earlier proposed Mahanadi Godavari Link Project by constructing a storage reservoir on Mahanadi River at Manibhadra and a link canal from this reservoir to the Godavari River.
Apart from the river linking projects, the Mohan Majhi Government has decided to revive the lost ayacut by renovation and modernization and enhance the irrigation area beyond the design capacity under ‘Nabakrushna Choudhury Secha Unnayan Yojana’.
As per the approval by Cabinet, ‘Nabakrushna Choudhury Secha Unnayan Yojana’ has been extended for a further period of five years from 2025-26 to 2029-30 with an outlay of ₹1437.00 crore. It is expected to achieve optimum utilisation of the designed irrigation for revival of lost ayacut by restoring irrigation potential of 1,23,448 hectare and increasing additional irrigation coverage of 4862 hectare.
Published – October 11, 2025 01:30 pm IST
