Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has started implementing the State Water Reforms Framework (SWRF), a reform-based benchmarking initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, aimed at improving water governance, promoting sustainable resource management, and strengthening institutional mechanisms in the water sector.
The initiative is expected to enhance coordination among various government departments, promote data-driven planning, and improve monitoring of water resource management programmes across the State.
In a communication issued by the Department of Water Resources on July 10, 2026, the State Government sought active participation from various departments and agencies for the successful implementation of the framework. The departments and organisations involved include the Housing & Urban Development Department; Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department; State Pollution Control Board; Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department; Tourism Department; Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department; and the Central Ground Water Board.
The SWRF consists of 75 reform indicators divided into five major categories — Policy and Regulation, Project Monitoring, Digitalisation and Research & Development, Infrastructure, and Information, Education, Communication (IEC) and Community Engagement.
The framework has been designed to assess the progress of States and Union Territories in adopting reforms related to water management. It focuses on strengthening regulatory mechanisms, improving project monitoring systems, promoting digital tools, enhancing infrastructure, and increasing public participation in water conservation initiatives.
As part of the implementation process, Odisha will undertake an early gap assessment to identify areas requiring improvement and carry out necessary reforms by December 31, 2026. The State has been directed to submit verified responses along with supporting documents by January 31, 2027.
The information submitted by States and Union Territories will be examined and validated by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Based on the assessment, national rankings under the framework are scheduled to be released in April 2027.
To ensure smooth execution of the exercise, the State Government has directed the concerned departments to nominate officers of the rank of Additional Secretary or above as Nodal Officers. These officers will be responsible for reviewing indicators related to their respective departments, conducting assessments, and submitting the required details in the prescribed format by July 20, 2026.
The Department of Water Resources has emphasised the importance of effective inter-departmental coordination and timely compliance with the reform indicators to ensure successful implementation of the framework.
