The Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department reviewed the progress of rural drinking water projects across Odisha on Tuesday under the direction of Chief Secretary Anu Garg.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary Girish S.N. chaired the meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan, focusing on the status and pace of mega pipe water supply projects.
Officials discussed the ongoing construction of mega, single-village, and solar-powered water supply schemes. The state aims to provide clean drinking water through pipelines to every rural household. Out of 207 mega projects, 30 have been completed, and 55 have crossed 90 per cent progress. The government targets full completion by March 2027, ensuring water access to 32,233 villages.
Among 19,017 single-village projects, 18,411 are complete, while 6,146 of 8,599 solar-powered projects are operational. The remaining projects are expected to finish by June 2026. Over the past two years, 28,750 tube wells have been installed to strengthen the supply.
The meeting also reviewed the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 (Har Ghar Jal) initiative, emphasising coordination with the central government and adherence to the newly approved maintenance policy.
Officials discussed summer preparedness, ensuring an uninterrupted water supply through 445 tankers and 6,042 water kiosks. Control rooms in subdivisions are addressing complaints promptly.
The Secretary advised engineers to maintain constant communication and resolve technical issues quickly to accelerate project completion. Departments, including Rural Development, Water Resources, Forest, Environment, Energy, and National Highways, were urged to coordinate closely to remove bottlenecks.
