Chief Secretary Anu Garg Orders Speedy Completion of Piped Water Schemes

Bhubaneswar: Chief Secretary Anu Garg has directed all departmental secretaries to fast‑track the completion of piped drinking water projects across Odisha, underscoring the state’s commitment to ensuring safe water access for rural communities.

During a high‑level review meeting, secretaries were asked to conduct regular field visits, identify bottlenecks, and ensure the timely delivery of projects.

The meeting also assessed progress on the Chief Minister’s 15 priority programs, with departments instructed to accelerate implementation.

Financial performance for 2025–26 showed encouraging trends: expenditure up to December rose by 10% compared to last year, program‑specific spending increased by 15%, and revenue collection grew by 7.82%. Secretaries were tasked with meeting revenue targets, proposing innovative budget initiatives, and reviewing central grant utilisation.

The Law Department proposed repealing obsolete laws to streamline governance.

Meanwhile, administrative scheduling updates included postponing the monthly virtual review with District Collectors to January 22, while the State‑level Single Window Clearance Authority will continue meeting on the third Tuesday of each month.

Chief Secretary Garg emphasised aligning departmental targets with approved budget allocations to ensure efficiency and accountability across governance.