Irrigation in Odisha - Overview

Historical Background

Irrigation has a long history in Odisha, dating back to the ancient and medieval periods. The Ganga dynasty rulers (11th-15th centuries) constructed numerous tanks and anicuts (diversion weirs) across the rivers of the coastal belt. The Argul anicut on the Devi River, the Kathjodi anicut, and the Birupa anicut are examples of pre-colonial irrigation structures that survived well into the 20th century. The British period saw the construction of the Mahanadi canal systems in the 19th century, including the Jobra anicut at Cuttack (1865) and the canals radiating from it, designed primarily for navigation and secondarily for irrigation. However, large-scale, modern irrigation development began only after independence, with the construction of major multi-purpose river valley projects — Hirakud, Rengali, Upper Indravati, and Balimela among them — that transformed the agricultural landscape of the state.

Classification and Extent of Irrigation

Irrigation in Odisha is classified into three categories by the Department of Water Resources: major projects (culturable command area greater than 10,000 hectares), medium projects (2,000 to 10,000 hectares), and minor projects (below 2,000 hectares, including tanks, lift irrigation points, and check dams). The total irrigation potential created in the state through all projects is estimated at approximately 3.5 million hectares (kharif) and 2.0 million hectares (rabi). However, the actual irrigated area in any given year fluctuates depending on reservoir storage, rainfall, and canal maintenance. As per recent estimates, about 35-40 per cent of the net sown area in Odisha receives irrigation from all sources, leaving the majority dependent on direct rainfall.

Sources of irrigation in Odisha can be broadly categorised as follows:

Major Multi-Purpose Projects

The Hirakud Dam Project on the Mahanadi at Sambalpur is the oldest and largest multi-purpose river valley project in Odisha, with a designed irrigation potential of 2.54 lakh hectares. The Rengali Multipurpose Project on the Brahmani River in Angul district provides irrigation to about 2.5 lakh hectares in Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, and Kendrapara. The Upper Indravati Project in Kalahandi-Nabarangpur, with its extensive canal system, has brought irrigation to formerly drought-prone tribal districts. The Balimela Project on the Sileru River, a joint project with Andhra Pradesh, generates hydropower and provides limited irrigation in the Malkangiri-Koraput region. The Upper Kolab Project in Koraput irrigates about 47,000 hectares. The Anandpur Barrage and the Samal Barrage on the Brahmani system provide irrigation in Keonjhar and Dhenkanal districts respectively.

Several medium irrigation projects, including the Salandi Dam in Bhadrak, the Derjang Project in Angul, the Harabhangi Project in Ganjam, the Upper Jonk in Nuapada, the Lower Indra in Kalahandi, and the Tel River Barrage in Kalahandi, serve their respective command areas and are critical for local food security. The Subarnarekha Project, though primarily in Jharkhand, has components for Odisha.

Lift Irrigation: The Game Changer

Recognising the topographical limitation of gravity-flow canal irrigation — which cannot serve elevated plateaus and interfluves — the Odisha Government has invested heavily in lift irrigation since the 1990s. Lift irrigation schemes pump water from rivers and reservoirs to higher elevations, bringing irrigation to areas that canals cannot reach. The Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme (named after a 16th-century woman freedom fighter from western Odisha) is the flagship programme, with numerous clusters across Bolangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Bargarh, and Sambalpur districts. These cluster-based schemes lift water from the Mahanadi and its tributaries to irrigate the uplands. As of recent assessments, lift irrigation accounts for about 12-15 per cent of the total irrigated area in Odisha and has been pivotal in reducing drought vulnerability in the western districts.

Challenges and Reforms

Despite the substantial investments, irrigation in Odisha faces a series of challenges. Siltation of reservoirs — Hirakud’s storage capacity has reduced by an estimated 20-25 per cent since construction due to siltation from the eroding catchment. Canal deterioration — many of the canal systems, particularly the older Mahanadi delta canals, are suffering from breaches, seepage losses, and encroachments along the banks. Incomplete command area development — field channels, land levelling, and drainage have not been implemented in substantial portions of many projects, reducing water use efficiency. Tail-end inequity — water often does not reach the tail ends of canals due to unauthorised withdrawals upstream and gradient problems, leading to a situation where farmers at the head reaches grow water-intensive crops like sugarcane while tail-enders face acute scarcity. Groundwater over-exploitation — in some coastal blocks, intensive tubewell irrigation has led to a decline in the water table and salinity intrusion.

The State Government has adopted a series of reforms through the Odisha Community Tank Management Project and the participatory irrigation management (PIM) approach, forming Pani Panchayats (water user associations) to involve farmers in the operation and maintenance of irrigation systems. The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is being implemented with the objective of achieving ‘har khet ko pani’ (water to every field), combining major project completion, command area development, and micro-irrigation promotion. Drip and sprinkler irrigation are being promoted for water-intensive and horticultural crops through subsidies, though adoption remains limited to a fraction of the irrigated area.