Industry Odisha Bureau, Aug 10: The Central Government has provided Rs 1829.56 crore to Odisha for restoration of traditional ponds and water bodies in the state over a period of three financial years (2023-24 to 2025-26.
This was informed by Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Raj Bhusan Choudhary in Rajya Sabha today.
Replying to a question by senior BJP lawmaker Dilip Ray, the Union Minister said Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) was launched in 2015-16 with an aim to enhance physical access of water on farm and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on farm water use efficiency, introduce sustainable water conservation practices etc.
Central Assistance is provided to the states for Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies under Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP) component of PMKSY, he said.
Under PMKSY 2.0 (2021-26), central assistance amounting to Rs 162.875 crore has been released to the government of Odisha during the last three financial years (2023-24 to 2025-26) for the restoration of traditional ponds and water bodies resulting restoration of 433 traditional ponds and water bodies in the State, he informed.
Government of India is also supporting the restoration of water bodies under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0.
Under AMRUT 2.0, central assistance amounting to Rs 621.46 crore has been released to Odisha during the last three financial years (2023-24 to 2025-26) for the restoration of water bodies resulting restoration of 27 water bodies in the State, the Minister stated.
Similarly, 19,131 renovation works of traditional water bodies have been completed under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the State during the last three financial years (2023–24 to 2025–26), with an expenditure of Rs 1,045.23 crore.
In 2019, the Ministry of Jal Shakti launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) subsequently, in 2021, the Prime Minister launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) campaign with the message, “Catch the Rain: Where It Falls, When It Falls.”
Since then, the campaign has evolved into a nationwide movement to promote water conservation and water security through localized action and convergence among various stakeholders, Choudhary said.
Under the JSA: CTR campaign, 25,253 renovation works of traditional water bodies has been completed in Odisha during the last three years, he added.
