Bhubaneswar: With the flagging off awareness vehicles, the first leg of Pani Panchayat Pakhya-2025 scheduled from December 22 to January 5, 2025 was observed at the division level in 136 divisions of the State on Sunday.
The district level functions will be held in 29th December, 2024 and the State level one on 5th of January, 2025. This year, the Pani Panchayat Fortnight has been converged with the ‘Krushi Odisha’ for greater synergy amongst the farmers and members of Pani Panchayats and to give both greater exposure to the interventions of the Department of Water Resources and the allied Departments such as Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and Fisheries & Animal Husbandry.
Various activities such as debate, essay, painting, quiz, and exhibition of model competitions amongst school children and Pani Panchayat Samabesha, Information Education Communication (IEC), Social Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) activities were organised.
More than 39,000 Pani Panchayats are spearheading the water governance in the State in a participatory manner. The Odisha Pani Panchayat Act, 2002 and amendments thereto have brought in inclusion and equity by opening avenues for women, fishermen, water users under the mega lift irrigation projects.
Around Rs 1,338 crore has been provided for construction of 2400 km of field channels covering 80,000 ha of command area and reconstruction of 1860 km of old and dilapidated channels covering 62,000 ha till 2028-29, sources said.