Odisha Launches First Comprehensive Census of Water Resources

Bhubaneswar: In a landmark initiative, Odisha has embarked on its first-ever complete census of water resources, following the directive of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India. The comprehensive census is being carried out through advanced Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) methods and web-based applications, marking a significant step toward building a unified and accurate database of water bodies across the state.

This exercise comprises four major components: the first census of major and medium irrigation projects, the first census of springs, the second census of water bodies, and the seventh census of minor irrigation projects. The effort is notable not only for its scale but also for its coordinated and convergent approach, jointly led by the Department of Water Resources and the Planning and Convergence Department. For the first time, the users and producers of statistics are working in tandem to ensure higher data accuracy and utility.

Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Odisha, Smt. Anu Garg, chaired a detailed review meeting to assess the progress of the census activities. The meeting was attended by senior officials from key stakeholder departments including Water Resources, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, Electronics and IT, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, as well as representatives from the Chief Engineer of Minor Irrigation, Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation, Central Ground Water Board, and State Ground Water Board. In addition, Superintending Engineers, Deputy Directors, and members from District Project Monitoring Units (DPMUs) also participated in the discussions.

During the meeting, the focus remained on the effective implementation of the irrigation and spring censuses to capture quality data. Garg emphasized the need for a collaborative and synchronized approach among all departments and agencies to ensure a comprehensive database of the state’s water resources. She noted that such a database would be instrumental in planning for various sectors including irrigation, industrial use, pisciculture, and water supply for both human and animal consumption.

The Development Commissioner further highlighted the importance of district-level coordination, urging Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers, and Deputy Directors of Planning and Statistics to work closely to make the census operations a grand success. This pioneering initiative is expected to lay a solid foundation for sustainable water management in Odisha, contributing significantly to the state’s long-term development and resource planning goals.