Odisha’s Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik addressed the media today at Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, outlining the state’s progress in drinking water supply projects.
The minister announced that out of 207 mega piped water supply projects, 33 have been completed, benefiting 2,402 villages. Another 14 projects will be finished by the end of this month, covering 1,331 more villages. Partial work on 35 projects already provides piped water to 3,210 villages.
He reported that 18,552 single village schemes (SVS) are operational, ensuring safe drinking water. Additionally, 6,369 solar-powered piped water projects have been completed. Since 2024, the government has approved 37,876 tube wells to address water scarcity in different regions.
To tackle immediate shortages, 629 tankers are supplying water to vulnerable areas this year. The state has also opened 8,281 water kiosks across rural regions. Overall, 20,875 villages now receive a piped water supply, while 7,042 villages benefit from stand posts.
Minister Naik reaffirmed the government’s commitment to provide piped water to every village by March 2027. He emphasised that the department is taking all necessary steps to meet this target and ensure safe drinking water for all households.
