THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR,
SEPTEMBER 8, 2026
The Odisha government
has approved a ₹650-crore
scheme to preserve the state’s historic irrigation heritage
and link its water-management legacy with tourism, infrastructure development
and local economic opportunities.
The State Cabinet
approved the Building Odisha’s Irrigation Project Tourism Amenities (BOITA)
scheme, which will be implemented by the Water Resources Department over five
years from 2026-27 to 2030-31.
The scheme seeks to
revive historic irrigation structures, showcase Odisha’s traditional
water-management practices and create socio-economic opportunities around its
heritage assets.
Odisha’s irrigation
heritage, spanning its ancient maritime traditions and historic water
infrastructure built during the British and early post-Independence periods,
represents a distinctive blend of history, culture and engineering.
Under BOITA, heritage
buildings and structures will be taken up for adaptive reuse, while their
original water systems will be stabilised and revived. Necessary supporting
infrastructure will also be developed to facilitate their sustainable
utilisation and integration with tourism and regional development.
The initiative is
expected to provide a new dimension to heritage tourism by bringing Odisha’s
historic irrigation assets into the public domain while creating opportunities
for communities located around these sites.
“The BOITA scheme will mark a new chapter in preserving Odisha’s irrigation heritage while connecting it with the people, tourism and regional development,” Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department, Subha Sarma said.
With the new initiative, the government seeks to turn Odisha’s historic water infrastructure into living heritage assets, combining conservation with tourism and sustainable development.
