Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Friday reviewed the functioning of the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department and called for stronger grassroots-level efforts to improve basic amenities, rural livelihoods and drinking water access across the state.
During her review of the department at Lokseva Bhawan, Garg interacted with senior departmental officials as well as Chief Development Officers-cum-Executive Officers of Zilla Parishads, Block Development Officers, Panchayat Extension Officers, engineers and other field-level officials through video conferencing.
Emphasising the state government’s goals under Viksit Odisha 2036 and Viksit Bharat 2047, the Chief Secretary described the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department as a key agency in delivering essential services in rural areas. She urged officials at the district, block and panchayat levels to work with greater commitment and determination to translate these objectives into tangible outcomes.
Garg also highlighted the three broad pillars of the state’s Samruddha Odisha vision — development-led prosperity, improved health and well-being, and greater economic equality. She called for stronger rural economic activity through livelihood generation and greater value addition in sectors such as fisheries, dairy and poultry, besides promoting tourism and ensuring wider participation across communities.
She stressed the need for long-term solutions to rural drinking water problems and called for simultaneous improvement of sanitation, roads and electricity connectivity. Officials were also advised to focus on road repairs, restoration of ponds and other water bodies, flood management and measures aimed at making villages healthier and more environmentally sustainable.
The Chief Secretary called for extending internet connectivity to all villages, developing model villages at the block level and accelerating implementation of the Mahapurusha Adarsh Gram and Godabarish Adarsh Primary School programmes. She also urged officials to adopt a more ambitious approach and maintain high morale while implementing government schemes.
During the review, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the department Girish S.N. briefed Garg on ongoing programmes and the progress achieved. He said the department was conducting weekly reviews to ensure effective implementation of schemes aimed at addressing basic needs at the grassroots.
Under the rural drinking water mega pipe water supply scheme, 43 of the 207 projects have been completed, while water supply has commenced from 86 projects. Efforts are underway to resolve bottlenecks in the remaining projects and complete them at the earliest.
The department has completed 18,782 small pipe water supply projects, accounting for around 97 per cent of the total, with the remaining works targeted for completion by October. Under the solar pipe water supply programme, 6,656 projects, or 74 per cent, have been completed and the balance is scheduled to be completed by December.
Functional household tap connections are currently supplying water in 21,324 villages, while standposts are providing water in another 7,034 villages. The department said completing the remaining works and ensuring functional connections and regular water supply to households remain a priority.
On the Bikashita Gaan, Bikashita Odisha initiative, the department informed that 22,917 projects were taken up during 2024-25, of which 20,975 have been completed at an expenditure of Rs 936.22 crore. During 2025-26, 42,140 projects were taken up and 16,347 completed, involving expenditure of Rs 626.06 crore. For 2026-27, annual action plans for 278 of Odisha’s 314 blocks have been approved, while approval for the remaining 36 blocks is under process.
The department further informed that Odisha has become the second state in the country to complete all prescribed processes within the stipulated timeline for implementation of VB-G RAM G and commence payments towards wages, materials and administrative components.
Under MGNREGS, state assistance has enabled wage employment for 1.29 lakh families across 30 migration-prone areas with the objective of reducing distress migration. The initiative has generated 35.52 lakh person-days, while 578 families have completed 100 days of employment.
The review also covered rural housing. Over the past two years, 5,24,583 rural houses have been completed, including 3,74,060 under PMAY, 33,642 under PM-Janman and 1,16,881 under the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana. Incentive assistance amounting to Rs 151 crore has been provided to 98,613 beneficiaries.
The department also briefed the Chief Secretary on financial assistance being provided under various components of the 16th Central Finance Commission and the 6th State Finance Commission.
Senior departmental officers were present during the review meeting at Lokseva Bhawan.
