Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards ensuring sustainable drinking water supply, the Odisha government and the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday for the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0.
The virtual event was attended by Chief Minister Mohan Majhi from Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar, and Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil along with Minister of State B Somanath from New Delhi. “The MoU aims to extend the mission’s activities until 2028, building on the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide tap water connections to every rural household under ‘Har Ghar Jal’ initiative,” a CMO release said.
The Chief Minister praised the far-sighted leadership of PM Modi, noting that 77.3% of rural households across the country have already received tap water connections. He described the extension of JJM till 2028 as a crucial step towards fulfilling the goal of providing safe piped drinking water to every family. “Odisha has prepared a clear roadmap for JJM 2.0,” Majhi said.
He further stated that the state government is emphasising on community participation, financial sustainability, and proper maintenance through a dedicated Operation and Maintenance Policy. “Nearly 5,000 rural piped water schemes have been assigned IDs on the Sujalam Bharat platform, and financial reconciliation for all schemes has been completed,” he said
The state is ensuring 70 litres of drinking water per person per day while contributing to around 40% of the project cost.
“Citizen-centric services have been strengthened through Basudha Helpline, WhatsApp support, and a digital grievance redressal platform. At the grassroots level, Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) are enhancing public involvement. ‘Jal Arpan Divas’ has been successfully observed in 25 out of 30 districts, with plans to extend it to the remaining districts soon,” Majhi informed.
The CM further highlighted the mission’s transformative impact on women’s lives, as they no longer need to travel long distances to fetch water. He added that the Jal Shakti Abhiyan in Odisha has become a mass movement, resulting in the creation of 2.21 lakh water conservation and rainwater harvesting structures, restoration of over 43,000 water bodies, 42,000 groundwater recharge works, and more than 2 lakh watershed projects.
Additionally, over 2 crore trees have been planted, he added.
The Union Minister stated that JJM 2.0, which began in 2024 and has now been expanded until 2028, will bring significant improvements to women’s lives and ensure water availability in water-scarce areas of Odisha. He described the mission as a key initiative for providing assured drinking water supply.
The event was also attended by Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Ravi Narayan Nayak, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Union Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ashok Meena, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Sashwat Mishra, Principal Secretary (Finance) Sanjeev Kumar Mishra, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department Girish SN, and other senior officials.
