Odisha Govt Targets Tap Water for All Villages by 2027
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has set an ambitious target to provide piped drinking water to every village in the state by March 2027.
Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik informed the Assembly that significant progress has already been made, with 68.47 lakh households—covering 77.25% of the population—now connected to tap water.
Back in 2019, only 3.10 lakh households had access, highlighting the rapid expansion under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
The state has completed 26 mega projects, while 28 more are expected to be operational by the end of March 2026.
Legislators, however, raised concerns about incomplete projects, falling groundwater levels, summer water scarcity, and contamination in districts like Jajpur.
The minister assured strict monitoring, warning that agencies compromising on quality or delaying work will face chargesheets.
District collectors have been empowered to dig tube wells and deploy water tankers to tackle shortages.
With summer approaching, the government emphasised that drinking water supply will remain a top priority, ensuring no compromise on quality or accessibility.
