Rs 1787 cr JICA aid for Odisha’s Rengali Left Bank Canal

Bhubaneswar, May 19: The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) would extent aid of Rs 1787 crore to the Odisha government to carry out the second phase of the Rengali Left Bank Canal.

The Rengali Left Bank Canal will provide irrigation to 39,416 hectres of land in Angul district. This was revealed in a high level meeting chaired by Naveen Patnaik, chief minister, at the State Secretariat here on Monday.

Officials informed in the meeting that 71.13 km out of total 100.49 km construction work of main canal and distribution system from Rengali Left Bank Canal has been completed. And, remaining construction work is being carried out by the Odisha government with an investment of Rs 288.81 crore.

JICA will assist in expanding the main canal by another 23km and developing the distribution system. This project will be completed by 2023.

Chief secretary GC Pati, additional chief secretary to chief minister AP Padhi, Development Commissioner UN Behera, and principal secretary, Agriculture, Rajesh Verma and other officials were present at the meeting.

On Friday, the government entered into a loan agreement for Rs.1,150 crore with JICA to augment power transmission infrastructure in Odisha.