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The Odisha government is renovating the canal network connected to the Hirakud Dam to reduce water wastage for irrigation, with a budget of ₹855 crore.
The project will benefit farmers in Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Bargarh, and Balangir districts, with completion expected between 2024-25 and 2027-28.
Hirakud dam
Hirakud Dam is built across the Mahanadi River, close to Sambalpur city in Odisha in India.
It is a composite structure of earth, concrete and masonry.
It is the longest dam in India and the longest earthen dam in the world
Total Length: 25.79 km
It is one of the first major multipurpose river valley projects started after India's independence and began operations in 1957.
With successful irrigation provided by the dam, Sambalpur is called the rice bowl of Odisha
It was created to control the flow of the Mahanadi River and manage the region's recurring flood problem.
The dam was inaugurated in 1957 by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
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