The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, approved 11 important proposals across five departments during its meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan on Friday.
Key Approvals
- Rural Drinking Water Supply O&M Policy 2026: The Cabinet approved the policy to ensure continuous and reliable drinking water services in rural areas. Responsibilities of RWSS, district authorities, gram panchayats, and village water committees have been clearly defined. The policy includes user fee systems, local maintenance teams, regular water quality testing, and digital monitoring through SCADA and IoT-based systems. A centralised command and control centre will be established. This initiative will safeguard government investments in rural water infrastructure and help achieve the “Har Ghar Jal” mission without burdening the state treasury.
- Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme: Tenders approved for Cluster-27 (Sambalpur) and Cluster-30 (Subarnapur).
- Sambalpur: Water from Hirakud reservoir will irrigate 6,210 hectares across 54 villages.
- Subarnapur: Water from the Tel and Mahanadi rivers will irrigate 6,025 hectares across 47 villages. Both projects will encourage farmers to adopt high-value crops through micro-irrigation systems.
- Hadua Irrigation Project: Approval for an underground pipeline distribution system to irrigate 3,641 hectares across 86 villages in Narasinghpur, Baramba, and Tigiria blocks of Cuttack district.
- Parbati Giri Cluster-38 (Keonjhar-Mayurbhanj): Irrigation for 4,280 hectares across 33 villages.
Other Decisions
- Rs 3,400 crore Atal Bus Stand Scheme to modernise 318 bus stands.
- Rs 1,647 crore MVA substation in Keonjhar to strengthen power supply.
- Amendments to Odisha Labour Service Rules, exempting ALOs and RLIs appointed before 2010 from departmental exams.
Government Statement
Chief Secretary Anu Garg said these decisions will usher in a new era of rural development, agriculture, and water management in Odisha. The projects are expected to benefit lakhs of farmers and villagers directly once completed.
