Odisha’s Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, and Drinking Water Minister, Rabi Narayan Naik, reaffirmed the state government’s dedication to ensuring piped drinking water access to every village in Odisha by March 2027. He emphasized that significant steps are being taken to meet this goal. Naik shared that out of 207 Mega Piped Water Supply Projects, 33 have been completed, benefiting 2,402 villages in the state. Additionally, 14 more projects are set to finish by the end of the current month, benefiting an extra 1,331 villages.
The minister highlighted that work on 35 other mega piped water supply projects is partially done, providing piped water to 3,210 villages in Odisha. He also mentioned the completion of 18,552 Single Village Schemes and 6,369 solar-powered piped water supply projects in various regions. To address water scarcity, the government has sanctioned 37,876 tube wells in different areas since 2024. Naik further stated that this year, 629 water tankers have been deployed in water-stressed regions to ensure a continuous supply of safe drinking water.
Moreover, the department has established 8,281 temporary water kiosks (Jalachhatras) in rural areas during the summer season. Currently, 20,875 villages have been included in piped water supply coverage, while 7,042 villages are served through stand-post systems.
