Odisha Govt Vows Drinking Water for Every Household by 2027, Slams Past Irregularities
During the ongoing winter session of the Odisha Assembly, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik assured that the state government will provide drinking water to every household by 2027.
He announced plans to form a Mega Water Board Committee to accelerate project execution and address delays.
Naik launched a sharp attack on the previous BJD-led government, alleging corruption and mismanagement in water projects.
He claimed contractors received 50–80% advance payments without completing land acquisition, intake wells, or pipeline systems. “Earlier, there were taps but no water; now there are taps and water,” Naik remarked, calling it a 24-year pattern of failure.
Congress MLA Sofia Firdous alleged corruption worth Rs 35,000 crore due to advance payments to 17 contractors, demanding a vigilance probe.
BJP MLA Pratap Nayak also sought an investigation against former Panchayati Raj Minister Pradip Amat, accusing him of involvement in the mega drinking water project scam.
Naik contrasted the BJP government’s record with that of the BJD, highlighting that in just 17 months, the BJP completed 22 mega pipe water projects compared to BJD’s 3, and executed 66 civil projects against BJD’s 16.
Under PM Gati Shakti, the BJP laid 71,000 km of pipeline across Odisha, a figure Naik cited as proof of accelerated progress.
The announcement signals a renewed push to ensure clean drinking water access across Odisha, while intensifying political debate over accountability and governance in public infrastructure.
