BHUBANESWAR: In view of the increasing requirement of water by the farmers and the inadequacy of the canal systems to meet the demand, the State Government is contemplating to introduce mega lift irrigation projects on an experimental basis. The steering committee of the Mahanadi Basin Development Plan which met here today discussed the issue and identified five mega lift irrigation projects. Under such projects water will be taken to the field from the canals by using pipes. In the first phase, two such projects, the Baideshwar at a cost of ` 421.8 crore and the upper Indravati project estimated at ` 518.83 crore will be taken up for implementation. The lift irrigation projects are more economical than canal irrigation and water can reach more number of farmers. The panel decided that nine canals of the Hirakud system will be renovated and a budget of Rs 337.8 crore has been made for this. The canals are, Atabira and Godalbhaga branch canals, Sambalpur-Hirakud distributary, three Bargarh main canals, Ratamunda distributary, Chiplima-Sinapali canal and Hirakud dam canal. The renovated canals will open up irrigation potential for 95,824 hectares. Besides, a decision was also taken to renovate four canals in the Mahanadi delta. The canals are Chandrapur, Nimapara, Kanas and Kakatpur branch canals with an estimated budget of ` 202.69 crore. When completed these canals will create irrigation potential for 67,364 hectares. The committee also discussed implementation of nine medium irrigation projects with a budgetary provision of ` 98.69 crore. The nine projects include Talsara, Saratgarh, Jharabhandh, Kuanria, Upper Suktel, Siapal, Ong irrigation and Sandara. It was decided that projects will be prepared for renovation of more canals with World Bank assistance. Besides, steps will be initiated for the completion of the renovation projects within the scheduled time. Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik presided over the meeting attended by Additional Development Commissioner RN Senapati and Secretaries of Water Resources, Finance, Revenue, Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Departments.