**Khurda: ** As Odisha Government is committed to getting all the urban households supplied with drinking water facility by March 2019 under the BASUDHA (Buxy Jagabandhu Assured Water Supply to Habitations) scheme, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today dedicated 500 such drinking water projects to the people of 95 urban local bodies (ULBs) or municipality areas.
Simultaneously, the mega water supply project was also dedicated to the people of Khurda Municipality, Jatani Municipality and southern part of Bhubaneswar.
In his keynote address, the Chief Minister said that the State Government had allocated Rs 190 crores for drinking water supply project in 2014, while in 2018, it has been enhanced 20 times more to a tune of Rs 3596 crores. This would benefit 70 lakh urban population.
He also said that on 20 October 2017, BASUDHA scheme was launched and foundation stone was laid for 555 projects. Today he is dedicating 500 completed projects.
As per official sources, these 500 completed projects dedicated today have been built at an estimated cost of Rs 408 crore. These completed projects will cater to the drinking water needs of the 33 lakh denizens of 95 cities of Odisha. The successful functioning of these projects depends on the active participation of the locals and SHGs (self help groups).
Besides, the 500 completed drinking water projects, the mega drinking water supply project has been built in Jatani’s Khudurpur on PPP mode that will cater to the needs of IIT, Bhubaneswar, NISER, industrial estate in Bhubaneswar under IDCO and the urban population of Khurda and Jatani municipality areas.
This mega project is unique in the country as it is the first ever integrated drinking water project in which water tapping system, water treatment system and supply of safe drinking water have been entwined.
The project has also been accorded environment and forest clearance from both Central and State Wildlife Councils. This project is also a unique one that has already been granted Validity Gap Funding (VGF) by both the Centre and State.
Built at an estimated cost of Rs 187 crores, this mega project has the capacity of 70 MLD Raw Water Transmission, Water Treatment Plant of 83 MLD capacity, 11 ML capacity safe water reservoir and 42 km long clean water distribution provision. This mega drinking water project will benefit 1.1 lakh population and also help in the development of industrialization in south Bhubaneswar, a press note stated.
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