Bhubaneswar: Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO) signed an agreement on Thursday with a Berhampur-based Mission Shakti Women SHG City level Federation for the Operation and Maintenance of its Jagadalpur Water Treatment Plant (WTP). 30 selected members from the Agrata City Level Federation will now receive a 12-day technical training at Odisha Urban Academy, Bhubaneswar starting from 11th March before taking the daily responsibility of the WTP.
The 60 Million Liter per Day Water Treatment Plant is the largest such plant in South Odisha and it provides safe drinking water to the areas under the jurisdiction of Ward No. 1 to 42 of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC)covering 4.5Lakh population.
“Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik has declared Berhampur city last month only as the 8th Drink from Tap city of the state as well as of the country even. And on the eve of International Women’s Day, this agreement will further strengthen his commitment to empower women both socially and economically” mentioned G Mathi Vathanan, Additional Chief Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha while presiding the agreement signing ceremony virtually.
“This is the first time Government of Odisha has engaged women SHG members in such a highly technical assignment to run one WTP round the clock and we are committed to engage more such SHG members to run other WTPs located across the state in near future” he added.
WATCO has already engaged hundreds of Women SHG members in its operational cities as Jal Sathi since 2019. It has also engaged 31 Transgender SHG members for 24×7 Operation and Maintenance of its 8 MLD Water Treatment Plant located at Pratap Nagari, Cuttack in 2022.
Among others, Smt. Bhagyasree Pradhan,President and Smt. Babita Padhy, Secretary, AgrataCity Level Federation, Shri Bhabani Mishra, Commissioner, Berhampur Municipal Corporation, Er. Pradipta Kumar Swain, Chief Executive Officer, WATCO, Er. Sitaram Panda, Chief Operating Officer and Er. Bikash Padhy, General Manager for WATCO Berhampur were present during the agreement signing ceremony.
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