Unhappy over poor implementation of the Integrated Watershed Management Project (IWMP) project in Odisha, Rural Development minister Jairam Ramesh has suggested that the state place proper infrastructure in place.
Stating that the Centre sanctioned Rs 1,595 crore for IWMP projects in the state between 2009-10 and 2013-14, Ramesh said Rs 399 crore was released while the unspent balance was Rs 208 crore.
"Had Odisha implemented the IWMP projects as it had committed to, it could have got another Rs 113 crore from the Centre over the last four years," Ramesh said in a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Ramesh said barring Karnataka, the pace of implementation of IWMP in almost every state was dismal.
The IWMP project was launched in 2009-10 with the objective of restoring the ecological balance by harnessing, conserving and developing degraded natural resources such as soil, vegetative cover and water to enable multi-cropping.
The introduction of diverse agro-based activities enabled provision of sustainable livelihoods to people living in watershed areas.
