Bhubaneswar: The Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mohapatra said that quality drinking water will be provided to all municipalities by March 2027, with 24/7 supply to every household.
To achieve this, barrages will be built to utilize river water more effectively. The minister reviewed ongoing projects, emphasizing the need for timely completion and regular monitoring. Smart meters will also be introduced on a pilot basis to collect drinking water charges in urban areas.
The drinking water projects under construction were discussed and the officials were advised to conduct regular reviews and supervision to complete the work within the stipulated time frame.
The minister stated that incomplete projects will be expedited after identifying the causes of delays. Instructions have been issued to ensure timely completion.
“It was discussed how to utilize river water more effectively through barrages. Currently, only 17 per cent of the flowing water is being used, with the remainder flowing into the sea. To address this, efforts will be made to harness more water through barrages,” said Mohapatra.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary of the Department, Usha Padhee, Managing Director of Watco, Guru Charan Das, EIC and OWSSB Ratindra Narayan Mallick, EIC PHEO Bilas Behera and other departmental officials.
