Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday said his Government is contemplating to have a special budget for empowerment and capacity building of the Pani Panchayats in the 2016-17 fiscal.
The State Government has been presenting a special budget for agriculture for past few years.
Speaking at the valedictory function of the Pani Panchayat Fortnight here at the OUAT, Patnaik said that after implementation of the Pani Panchayat scheme in 2002, a massive change has occurred in water management while the production level has also increased.
“Due to Pani Panchayat facilities farmers have been able to undertake dual crop cultivation resulting in increase in production level. Farmers have become more empowered,” said he.
Maintaining that Pani Panchayats would facilitate in making agriculture a profitable occupation, the Chief Minister called upon the farmers to develop the system further. He said the Panchayats would continue to manage the minor irrigation systems.
Tourism and Culture Minister Ashok Chandra Panda and Water Resources Secretary Pradip Kumar Jena attended the event.
