Odisha Pani Panchayat Pakhya: The Department of Water Resources, Odisha in the first leg of conduct of Pani Panchayat Pakhya-2024, scheduled during 16-30th January 2024, the Irrigation Division (Major, Medium, MI & LI) level functions will be held across 117Divisions of the State on 16th January. The district level functions will be held on 24th and the State level on 30th of January 2024.
The Pakhya gives us an opportunity to acknowledge the immense contribution being made by the Pani Panchayats and farmers in the water sector. Raths will be flagged off during the inaugural event on 16thby the Minister(s), in the presence of local MPs/MLAs, local PRI/ULB representatives, eminent persons.
Various activities such as debate, essay, painting, quiz, exhibition of Model competitions amongst school children; Pani Panchay at Samabesha; Information Education Communication/ Social Behavioural Change Communication (IEC/SBCC) activities through exhibitions and Rathsetc. will also be held. Banners, brochures, logo, slogan, tagline, anthem, oath etc. have also been prepared to create the buzz.
From about 700 Water Users’ Associations in 1995-2002 to more than 39,289 Pani Panchayats now, the Pani Panchayat movement in the State has come a long way. The Odisha Pani Panchayat Act, 2002 has, in the meanwhile, been amended to make it more inclusive. Those include formation of Pani Panchayats under the Mega Lift Irrigation Projects; inclusion of spouses of land holders to increase representation of women in Pani Panchayats etc.
e-CAD,aweb and mobile app based application, introduced for real-time monitoring of functioning of Pani Panchayats and infrastructure such as field channels, has improved the ease of transaction.
Through projects such as Odisha Integrated Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture (OIIPCRA), Pani Panchayats are being initiated to promote improved crop productivity; adoption of resilient agricultural practices and technologies; diversification of crops and adaptation to climate change; efficient use of water; availing good quality, better yielding and resilient seeds etc. Such efforts have also been awarded at the national level.
In the recent times, a slew of big water infra projects such as Upper Indravati Lift Canal benefitting Kalahandi district; Lower Indra benefitting Nuapada and Bolangir districts; Deo benefitting Mayurbhanj district; Telengiri benefitting Koraput district; Subarnarekha, also including Haldia, benefitting Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts; Rukura benefitting Sundargarh district and Ret benefitting Kalahandi district have been dedicated to the state.
These projects, including some other key infrastructure, together provide irrigation to 3.64 lakh acres (1.47 lakh Ha) and help the farmers of the State in increasing their agricultural production and productivity
Nearly Rs600Cr has also been allocated from the State’s funds to take up command are a development during the period from FY2021-22 to 2023-24.
