A capacity building programme for Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) of Directorate of Soil Conservation & Watershed Development, Government of Odisha was successfully completed on 5th November 2016 under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) at ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management (ICAR-IIWM), Bhubaneswar. The four-day programme was organised during 2–5th November 2016 and attended by 20 PIAs from 10 districts of Odisha namely; Koraput, Nabrangpur, Nuapada, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Deogarh, Rayagada, Nayagarh, Jajpur and Sundargarh. The training programme was aimed at judicious planning, management and utilization of available water resources in watersheds for assured water availability for irrigation so as to increase irrigated area and water productivity. The programme was inaugurated on 2th November 2016 in the presence of Dr. S. K. Ambast, Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management, Bhubaneswar. Dr. S. K. Ambast, Director of ICAR-IIWM, Bhubaneswar and Course Director of this training welcomed the participants and assured for enriching the knowledge of the PIAs on the detailed design, planning and development of various water harvesting structures including application of modern tools and techniques for characterization of watersheds and water saving techniques including micro-irrigation. He also elaborated on the expectations of PMKSY from the PIAs. Earlier, Dr. P. Panigrahi, Senior Scientist and Co-ordinator of this training briefed about the outline of the training programme.

During the training programme, resource persons from Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Dehradun; Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar; Odisha Space Application Center (ORSAC), Bhubaneswar; ICAR-Central Horticultural Experiment Station (ICAR-CHES), Bhubaneswar; Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar and Directorate of Soil Conservation & Watershed Development, Govt. of Odisha were involved in sensitizing the PIAs along with the scientists of ICAR-IIWM, Bhubaneswar. Prominent topics such as Integrated watershed management with specific reference to PMKSY; design aspects of various water harvesting structures; application of micro-irrigation system; conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater; remote sensing aided watershed mapping and characterization; Horticultural and aquacultural interventions; and economic evaluation of watershed management programmes were covered in detail. On 4th November 2016, a field visit was arranged for the participants to Soil Conservation Demonstration Centre, Biswanahakani, Cuttack and rubber dam installed near the IIWM research farm at Mendhashal. Smt. Sujata R. Karthikeyan, Director, Directorate of Soil Conservation and Watershed Development, GoO graced the valedictory function as Chief Guest and distributed Certificates of Participation on 5th November 2016. She praised the efforts of ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management for providing quality training and taking initiative for overall watershed developmental activities in the state.