Odisha Govt Activates Contingency Plan Amid Weak Monsoon

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has rolled out a contingency plan to tackle weak monsoon conditions and declining reservoir levels, prioritising farmers and drinking water needs.

Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida announced that strict guidelines have been issued to conserve reservoir reserves for agriculture and drinking water before any allocation for power generation.

Hydropower production at Balimela has been temporarily halted to safeguard agricultural stability.

Officials assured citizens that the state’s power grid remains stable through alternative procurement strategies.

Departments are closely monitoring reservoir levels to protect the Kharif crop cycle.

The Energy Department, GRIDCO, and OHPC are coordinating with SLDC, RLDC, and NLDC to secure power from external grids.

Odisha has also initiated fast‑tracked bilateral talks with Andhra Pradesh for early restoration of Machkund units.

The government emphasised vigilance, adaptability, and proactive management of water and energy resources to minimise the impact of low rainfall.