Odisha government's dream project, took 23 years to complete

Odisha Government's dream project, which took 23 years to complete, has been delayed, 12-fold estimation increased in cost.

ଲୋୟର ସୁକତେଲ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ ବଲାଙ୍ଗିରର ଜଳସେଚନ ଓ କୃଷି କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ରୂପାନ୍ତର ଆଣୁଛି। ଜିଲ୍ଲା ଗସ୍ତରେ ଏହାର ଲୋକାର୍ପଣ ସହ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଲୋକାଭିମୁଖୀ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପର ଶୁଭାରମ୍ଭ କରି ମୁଁ ବହୁତ ଖୁସି। ଏହି ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ ଦ୍ଵାରା ଜିଲ୍ଲାର ବିକାଶରେ ନୂଆ ଯୁଗ ଆରମ୍ଭ ହୋଇଛି। pic.twitter.com/q4rI4KreZ1

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) January 3, 2024

ଲୋୟର ସୁକତେଲ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ ବଲାଙ୍ଗିରର ଜଳସେଚନ ଓ କୃଷି କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ରୂପାନ୍ତର ଆଣୁଛି। ଜିଲ୍ଲା ଗସ୍ତରେ ଏହାର ଲୋକାର୍ପଣ ସହ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଲୋକାଭିମୁଖୀ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପର ଶୁଭାରମ୍ଭ କରି ମୁଁ ବହୁତ ଖୁସି। ଏହି ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ ଦ୍ଵାରା ଜିଲ୍ଲାର ବିକାଶରେ ନୂଆ ଯୁଗ ଆରମ୍ଭ ହୋଇଛି। pic.twitter.com/q4rI4KreZ1

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) January 3, 2024

 Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project, which will benefit one lakh acres of land in drought-hit Balangir district.  Interestingly, its foundation stone was laid by CM Naveen Patnaik 23 years ago.

 The project took more than two decades to complete.  Also, due to the delay in the completion of the project, its cost has increased more than 12 times.

 The Government of Odisha has spent about Rs 2,723 crore on this project.  However, when the foundation stone of the project was laid, its cost was Rs 217 crore.  The project was approved by the then Planning Commission in 1999 and Patnaik laid the foundation stone two years later, but it has faced several problems, including strong opposition from local people for land acquisition.

 The project was accelerated in 2019 after being included under Naveen Patnaik government's flagship 5T initiative.  5T stands for Teamwork, Technology, Transparency, Time Leading to Transformation.  VK Pandian, a former secretary to the CM and a trusted bureaucrat, has regularly visited the sites and reviewed it.  The capacity of this 31 meter high dam is about 320 million cubic meters of water.  This will benefit about 80,000 farmers of 203 villages and provide drinking water to 70,000 people of Balangir town.

 The opposition made this accusation against Naveen Patnaik government

 CM Patnaik said that the Lower Suktel Project will bring changes in the irrigation and agricultural sectors of Balangir district.  This will greatly help in solving the plight of the farmers.  Farmers are the backbone of the economy of the state and the state government is leading them towards development.  At the same time, the opposition alleged that the project was inaugurated without completing it in view of the upcoming elections.

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