Bhubaneswar, August 10: The Central Government has provided Odisha with financial assistance of Rs 1,829 crore and Rs 56 lakh over the past three years for the restoration of waterbodies. Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary gave this information in response to a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP Dilip Ray.

According to data provided by the Central Government, the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana was launched in 2015-16. The scheme aims to improve the water supply system for crops along with promoting water conservation. Under the scheme, repair and restoration work is carried out on various water sources, including village ponds and other water bodies. A dedicated programme, ‘Har Khet Ko Pani’, is also being implemented for this purpose. Odisha received Rs 162.875 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana during the three financial years from 2023-24 to 2025-26. Under the scheme, 433 village ponds along with other water sources have been restored.

Similarly, under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Central Government is providing assistance for the development of urban water sources. Under the AMRUT scheme, 27 water sources in different cities of the state have been restored over the past three years, for which the Central Government has provided Rs 621.46 crore.

The Union Minister further informed Mr Ray that extensive restoration of water sources has also been carried out in Odisha under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) over the past three years. For this, Odisha received Rs 1,045 crore and Rs 23 lakh in assistance from the Centre, enabling the restoration of 19,131 water sources. Besides, Odisha has also received substantial assistance under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan programme, launched in 2019 for rainwater conservation. Under this programme, restoration work has been carried out on 25,253 water sources during the past three years.

Expressing concern over the declining groundwater level in Odisha, MP Dilip Ray said this could pose a challenge for the future. If the situation continues, it could create a serious crisis for agriculture, drinking water and livestock. Keeping the issue in view, Mr Ray, in a statement, demanded that the Central Government provide special financial assistance to Odisha to ensure that all rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, water channels and other water sources across the state remain adequately filled with water throughout the year.