Odisha, Nabard sign MoU for massive groundwater recharge

The Odisha Government on Friday signed an MoU with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) for implementation of the country’s first project on climate change for massive groundwater recharge.

The Department of Water Resources signed the agreement with the Nabard in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at State Secretariat here.

The 166.30 million USD (approximately `1,115 crore)-project would be implemented in the State’s 15 districts, Bargarh, Balangir, Boudh, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Sambalpur and Subarnapur, in five years.

Out of the total project estimate, the South Korean-based Green Climate Fund would provide 34.36 million USD (`240 crore) to the State Government as financial assistance through the Nabard.

“The project envisages a massive groundwater recharge at a cost of about `1,100 crore. The Green Climate Fund is giving an assistance of about `240 crore. The State Government will arrange the remaining amount through convergence funding,” said CM Patnaik.

Under the project, as many as 10,000 ponds would be renovated and recharge structures would be constructed to conserve surplus rainwater, he said.

“Apart from renovation and improvement of 10,000 ponds, the project envisages shafts to recharge at least 1,65,000 acre feet of water to the aquifers, development of 1,000 deep bore-wells with solar pumping based micro irrigation and capacity building of farmers,” Patnaik said.