Bhubaneswar: Odisha is steadily moving towards achieving universal rural pipe water connectivity, with the state government reaffirming its target to provide piped drinking water to every village by March 2027. Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik on Thursday reviewed the progress of ongoing drinking water projects and rural water supply initiatives at Lok Seva Bhavan.
After the review meeting with Drinking Water Director Vinit Bhardwaj, the minister said large-scale infrastructure works are underway across the state to strengthen access to safe and reliable drinking water in rural areas.
Officials informed that out of 207 Mega Pipe Water Supply Projects taken up by the government, 33 projects have already been completed, benefiting 2,402 villages. Another 14 projects are likely to be completed by the end of May, which will extend piped water supply to 1,331 more villages.
The minister said work is also progressing in several other projects, with partial implementation already enabling pipe water supply to 3,210 villages under 35 Mega Pipe Water Supply schemes.
Alongside mega projects, the state has completed 18,552 Single Village Schemes aimed at improving drinking water access in remote and rural regions. In addition, 6,369 Solar Pipe Water Supply Projects have been completed to ensure sustainable and energy-efficient water distribution.
To tackle water scarcity during summer, the government has sanctioned 37,876 tube wells across Odisha since 2024. The department has also deployed 629 water tankers in water-stressed areas to ensure uninterrupted supply of potable water.
As part of summer relief measures, 8,281 “Jal Chhatra” water sheds have been opened in rural areas for public use.
According to official figures, 20,875 villages in Odisha are currently covered under piped water supply systems, while another 7,042 villages are receiving water through stand posts.
The minister said the government is making concerted efforts to complete all pending projects within the stipulated timeline and ensure safe drinking water reaches every rural household in the state by March 2027.
