Odisha govt launches ₹2,612 crore water projects on World Water Day

Chief Minister unveils irrigation, drinking water and recharge projects, calls for conservation drive and community participation to strengthen water security

In a major push for water infrastructure and governance reforms, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday unveiled projects worth ₹2,612 crore, calling for a mass movement to conserve water at an event organised here to mark World Water Day 2026.

 

At a state-level function held at the Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre, Bhubaneswar, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for 17 projects worth ₹2,292 crore and inaugurated 124 completed projects valued at ₹320 crore, spanning drinking water supply, irrigation and groundwater recharge.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Majhi said water security is central to Odisha’s long-term development. “Not a single drop of water should be wasted as even a drop of water is precious for many in the world,” he said, urging citizens to adopt conservation practices and take the message to every household.

 

 

He described children as “future water soldiers” and said they should be trained early to value water. Highlighting the Centre’s Jal Jeevan Mission as a “revolutionary” intervention, he reiterated the state’s commitment to providing piped drinking water to every household and eliminating water scarcity, particularly in underserved and remote regions.

 

The Chief Minister said initiatives under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan and the “Catch the Rain” campaign are helping make water conservation a national priority, with a special emphasis on community participation. Women and self-help groups are being engaged as “water partners” to improve water quality management and governance at the grassroots level, he said.

 

Addressing equity concerns, Majhi said water scarcity disproportionately affects poorer sections and assured that access to clean drinking water for marginalised communities remains a priority under the government’s Antyodaya approach.

 

“Our government is working to provide clean water to every unreached village and backward areas under Mission PoWaR (power, water and road). Odisha is among the leading states in the country in planting trees through the 'Ek Peed Ma Ke Naam' campaign. Our state has also prepared a comprehensive water policy to ensure there is no dispute over water in the coming days,” he said.

 

Linking this year’s theme of “Water and Gender” to policy priorities, Majhi said the government aims to eliminate gender disparities in water management while strengthening the rural economy. “Water security is the foundation for building a prosperous and developed Odisha,” he said and urged equal participation of men and women in water-related decision-making.

 

The Chief Minister also outlined sectoral goals, including enhancement of crop intensity up to 220 per cent by 2036 and 250 per cent by 2047 through expanded irrigation coverage. He said irrigation projects such as the Lower Suktel project and Kusumi Smart Irrigation initiative have already enabled additional irrigation facilities for around 2.2 lakh hectares of land, reflecting the government's progress in the past 21 months.

 

He also cited efforts to enhance groundwater recharge through schemes like Community Harnessing and Harvesting Rainwater Artificially from Terrace to Aquifer (CHHATA) and Artificial Recharge to Underground Aquifer (ARUA) initiatives, along with canal lining and rehabilitation programmes, as key interventions to improve water availability. The state is also promoting efficient agricultural practices under the “more crops per drop” approach, he said.

 

On the sidelines of the event, the Chief Minister inaugurated a childcare centre ‘Kalika’ at Rajiv Bhavan and launched ‘Bindu’, an AI-powered citizen feedback chatbot aimed at improving governance and service delivery. A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the state’s Water Resources Department and the Central Water Commission, while a coffee table book titled Sujala and a river map were released.

 

Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo suggested that old low-level bridges, instead of being demolished during new barrage construction, could be repurposed with gates for water conservation. The Chief Minister directed officials to examine the proposal and submit a report.

 

Senior officials, including Chief Secretary Anu Garg and Water Resources principal secretary Shubha Sarma, attended the programme, which also featured a photo exhibition showcasing the department’s initiatives.