Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards strengthening drinking water supply in rural areas, an MoU was signed between the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Government of Odisha for effective implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, which will continue till 2028.
The agreement was signed during a virtual event attended by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi from Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, while Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil and Minister of State V. Somanna joined from New Delhi.
The Chief Minister said the Mission has brought a major change in the lives of women, as they no longer have to travel long distances to collect water.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Majhi thanked the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for starting the Jal Jeevan Mission and said that 77.3 percent of the families in the country have got tap connection till now. He said that the extension of this mission till 2028 has been approved by the Union Cabinet and this is a significant step towards achieving the goal of ‘Har Ghar Jal’.
He said that under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, the state government has prepared a clear roadmap. Emphasis is being placed on public participation, financial stability and proper maintenance through Operation and Maintenance Policy. IDs of about 5,000 rural piped water schemes have been prepared through the Sujalam Bharat app and financial coordination of all the schemes has been completed. While 70 litres of drinking water has been arranged for each person per day in Odisha, the state government is spending about 40 percent of the funds on this mission. Citizen-centric services have been strengthened through BASUDHA Helpline, WhatsApp service and digital grievance platform.