Odisha Cabinet Clears Landmark Rural Drinking Water O&M Policy 2026
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet has approved the Rural Drinking Water Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Policy 2026, marking a major shift from infrastructure creation to service reliability and sustainability.
The policy establishes a structured framework for uninterrupted water supply, preventive maintenance, and community participation.
It empowers Gram Panchayats and Village Water & Sanitation Committees to manage local systems, supported by digital monitoring tools such as SCADA and IoT.
Key provisions include user charges, dedicated O&M funds, regular water quality testing, and a central Command and Control Centre for real-time oversight.
Accountability measures are also built in, with penalties and FIRs against agencies failing to meet standards.
Odisha has already completed 27 mega piped water projects, 82 trunk infrastructure projects, and thousands of single-village and solar-based systems.
Villages with Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) have risen from 6,032 to over 21,000, underscoring the state’s progress toward the national goal of “Har Ghar Jal.”
The new policy aims to safeguard public investment, ensure asset longevity, and deliver safe, reliable drinking water to every rural household in Odisha.
