Odisha’s ₹1,500 Crore Push for 24/7 Water by 2027

The Government of Odisha has stepped up efforts to ensure 24x7 drinking water supply in urban areas under its flagship SUJALA Programme, with an estimated investment of ₹1,500 crore planned for 2026–27.

A high-level review of the Public Health Engineering Organisation (PHEO), chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee, examined multi-year action plans for 2026–29 and outlined a phased roadmap to achieve universal round-the-clock water supply across all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

At present, Odisha’s 86 ULBs—serving a population of around 31.5 lakh—receive a combined supply of 452 million litres per day (MLD). The state has already achieved continuous water supply in nine ULBs during 2025–26 and plans to expand coverage to 38 ULBs each in 2026–27 and 2027–28.

Under the SUJALA initiative, 544 water supply projects have been sanctioned so far, of which 289 have been completed while the remaining are under execution. For 2026–27, the government has planned 391 projects, including 102 new ones, followed by 92 projects in 2027–28 with an outlay of ₹978 crore.

The programme focuses on strengthening urban water infrastructure, expanding distribution networks, and improving efficiency in water usage. Officials have also been directed to speed up implementation and reduce wastage of treated drinking water to ensure reliable supply across urban areas.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.