Bhubaneswar: In an aim to ensure supply of safe and pure drinking water to all rural households, the State Government has taken up piped water supply projects with investment of Rs. 57000 crores.
This was known from the review meeting of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The Chief Minister on Wednesday reviewed the targets and achievements of the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department during the last four years and the fulfillment of the assurances given in the manifesto.
Department Minister Pradip Kumar Amat presented details of achievements promised in the election manifesto and other transformative steps undertaken by the Department during last four years for the benefit of the people in rural areas across the state. Principal Secretary Sushil Kumar Lohani was also present during the meeting.
Speaking to media persons, Minister Shri Amat said the department has undertaken an ambitious program of providing household tap water connection to each rural houses with a provision of 70 liters per capita per day supply.
So far, 206 mega projects as well as 13000 single village piped water supply projects have been undertaken with a massive investment of Rs. 57000 crores and 61% rural HHs has been covered so far, he said.
He said 14,000 women SHGs have been involved in various income generation programs through ORMAS in collaboration with Mission Shakti generating a business of R$ 770 crore and profit of over Rs 200 crore.
Around 800 WSHG members have been involved in activities like Nursery raising, Nutri-garden etc. and Rs. 1065.00 crore has been paid to them in the form of income or service charge, Amat said.
The goal of empowerment of youth through skill development has been achieved by training 82,000 youths in last 4 years, he said.
To enhance sports infrastructure, the Minister said, more than 12,000 playgrounds and stadiums have been developed. Moreover, around 8000 GP playgrounds have been completed in the State.
Under 5T High School Transformation initiatives, more than 7,800 schools have been transformed and equipped with all modern facilities. The Minister also highlighted other major achievements of the department undertaken so far in the last four years.
“Odisha has been amongst the best states in implementation of MGREGA. Our efforts in creating durable assets in convergence with other schemes have been well appreciated at National level,” Shri Amat said.
For creating rural infrastructure under MGREGA, more than 12 lakh works have been completed. This includes water conservation, watershed development works, livestock shelter, farm pond, Anganwadi Centres, play fields, land development etc.
Under the Finance Commission grants more than 8 lakh projects worth Rs 15,590 crore have been taken up towards development of maintenance of PWS, Rural haat, rain water harvesting, drainage system, construction and maintenance of schools, Anganwadi centres, playground, rural library, community halls etc.
Under the rural health infrastructure programme, 4,176 projects have been taken up worth Rs. 1261 crore, which includes construction and maintenance of Sub-centre building, PHCs, BPHU, Bio-medical Waste Management Facility Centre etc. During the COVID-19 lockdown, 17,000 TMCs were set up at GP level to provide quarantine facilities to the migrant laborers, he pointed out.
The Department was at the forefront in taking Hockey World cup fever to rural areas.
The efforts of the Department have been duly recognized at various levels. Odisha was No. 2 in National Panchayat Awards, 2023 by winning 6 awards including best District & best block awards. The state is also ranked first in the skill development training conducted.
Odisha’s best practice in Rural Housing and skill development has been duly recognized for replication in other States.
He assured that the PR & DW Department is fully committed to ensuring delivery of services at grass-root level and use of technology to ensure last-mile connectivity of beneficiaries.