Bhubaneswar: Additional Chief Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, Shrimati Usha Padhee hosted a high-level delegation from the Indore Municipal Corporation at Unnati Bhawan to discuss the successful scaling of Odisha’s urban water reforms.
The consultation provided a platform for Indore’s Municipal Commissioner, Shri Kshitij Singhal, and his team to engage directly with Smt. Usha Padhee regarding the technical and social strategies behind the Drink From Tap initiative following their intensive field study of the state’s water infrastructure.
During the exchange, Smt. Padhee detailed the core philosophy driving Odisha’s urban transformation. She explained that the state’s success is not merely a result of infrastructure, but is built on a dual foundation of advanced technology and deep community trust. By prioritizing transparency and citizen-centric governance, the state has managed to create a sustainable model for essential service delivery.
Smt. Padhee further emphasized Odisha’s proactive commitment to inter-state cooperation and knowledge sharing. She informed the Indore delegation that the Odisha Urban Academy is prepared to offer comprehensive training and capacity-building support. This partnership aims to assist other cities in replicating the technical and social frameworks that have made the DFT mission a national benchmark.
The delegation’s visit included practical field observations that complemented the high-level discussions. In Puri, they examined the operational mechanics of the Water Treatment Plant and interacted with Jala Sathis to understand how community-led participation ensures project sustainability. In Bhubaneswar, the team observed inclusive service models in informal settlements like Salia Sahi and visited the SCADA-based Command and Control Centre to see how real-time monitoring and automated quality control maintain uninterrupted service.
The consultation concluded with a mutual commitment to continued engagement. ACS Smt. Padhee and the representatives from WATCO and IMC agreed that the integration of high-end technical standards with persistent public awareness is the key to realizing the vision of sustainable urban water management across Indian cities.