Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has completed 25 Mega Piped Water Supply (PWS) projects in the last five years, spending Rs 17,502.12 crore out of the allocated Rs 35,193.24 crore, according to a statement by Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik in the State Assembly.
Responding to a question by MLA Arvind Mohapatra, the Minister revealed that 207 Mega PWS projects were initiated to provide safe drinking water to rural households. While significant progress has been made, several projects remain incomplete due to issues like land acquisition delays, negligence by implementing agencies, and delays in statutory approvals.
To address these challenges, the government has imposed penalties on defaulting agencies and issued show-cause notices. High-level committees and district-level coordination meetings have also been set up to monitor progress and resolve bottlenecks.
The year-wise data shows that 14 projects were completed in FY 2024-25 alone, marking a significant push toward achieving the government’s goal of clean drinking water for all rural households.
