Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has reviewed the progress of rural drinking water supply projects, with a focus on accelerating implementation to ensure piped drinking water reaches every household in the state.
The review meeting, held at Lok Seva Bhawan under the direction of Chief Secretary Anu Garg, was chaired by Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Girish S.N. The meeting assessed the status and execution of ongoing mega piped water supply projects and other rural water initiatives across the state.
Officials reiterated the government’s goal of providing safe drinking water to every rural household through piped connections. The secretary reviewed progress made since the last meeting in March and directed officials to expedite pending works.
According to official data presented at the meeting, Odisha has planned 207 mega drinking water projects, of which 30 have been completed so far, while 55 projects have achieved over 90 per cent progress. The government has set a target to complete all mega projects by March 2027, which are expected to cover 32,233 villages.
In addition, out of 19,017 single-village water supply projects, 18,411 have already been completed. Similarly, 6,146 out of 8,599 solar-powered piped water supply projects have been completed, with the remaining projects targeted for completion by June 2026.
Officials noted that most projects are in the final stages and that drinking water supply will commence once minor issues are resolved. Over the past two years, 28,750 tube wells have also been installed across the state.
The review also covered the implementation of the Centre’s Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, which aims to provide tap water to every household. The meeting emphasised speeding up work in line with agreements with the central government and the new maintenance policy approved by the state cabinet.
Special attention was given to preparedness for the summer season. Officials discussed maintenance of piped water systems, solar-powered units, and tube wells to ensure uninterrupted supply. The department has deployed 445 water tankers and set up 6,042 water kiosks across the state, while control rooms are operational at the sub-divisional level to address public grievances.
The secretary directed engineers and officials to maintain regular monitoring and coordination to resolve issues affecting the completion of mega projects. Emphasis was also laid on inter-departmental coordination involving departments such as Rural Development, Water Resources, Works, Forest and Environment, Energy, and the National Highways Authority to remove bottlenecks and expedite project execution.
The meeting underscored the need for continuous review and coordination to ensure timely completion of projects and improved access to safe drinking water in rural Odisha.
