New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Odisha has been awarded the First Rank in the Best State Category at the prestigious 5th National Water Awards, conferred by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, in recognition of the state’s outstanding work in water resources conservation and management.
The award was received by Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Odisha, Anu Garg, IAS, from Hon’ble President of India, Droupadi Murmu, at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
This recognition highlights Odisha’s proactive initiatives, spearheaded by the Department of Water Resources (DoWR), which developed 369 million cubic meters of water storage through key projects like the Lower Suktel Dam and Haldia Dam, aimed at meeting irrigation and drinking water needs. In addition, efforts to enhance water conservation included 28 ongoing Instream Storage Structures (ISS) and the completion of 317 Check Dams, providing irrigation to over 7,120 hectares.
Odisha has also focused on the renovation of traditional water bodies under the Amrit Sarovar Yojana, completing the renovation of 2,385 tanks, and constructing over 22,777 Rooftop Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS) under the MUKTA scheme. Notably, the state adopted underground pipelines for irrigation, improving water-use efficiency by more than 20%.
With over 2.21 lakh hectares of land provided with irrigation facilities, Odisha’s efforts have benefited more than 2.5 lakh farmers, enhancing agricultural productivity and stabilizing irrigation in key regions like Subarnarekha, Gangadhar Meher, and Baitarani Left Bank Canal projects. The state has also launched 59 Mega Lift Irrigation projects, covering 81,216 hectares of upland areas and installed 15,403 deep bore wells.
In her statement, Anu Garg attributed this achievement to the collective efforts of government officials, engineers, Self Help Groups (SHGs), and Pani Panchayats (PPs), praising their dedication in implementing various schemes and programs aimed at enhancing water conservation.
Odisha’s focus on storm resilience has also been notable, with efforts to strengthen 200 kilometers of saline embankments under the Mukshyamantri Cyclone Resilient Saline Embankments Project, aimed at protecting coastal areas from storm surges.
Additionally, Odisha is the first state to enact Faecal Sludge and Septage Management Regulations, 2018, with 98% of the urban population now having access to safe sanitation. The state has also made significant strides in industrial wastewater treatment, with 1,327 industries installing Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), resulting in a reduction in polluted river stretches from 19 to 7, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).