BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Tuesday signed an MoU with the Ministry of Jal Shakti for implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0. The agreement will be in force till 2028.
The MoU was signed through a virtual programme held in New Delhi in the presence of Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil along with minister of state V Somanna while Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi joined from Lok Seva Bhawan here.
The chief minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership for the successful rollout of the mission, noting that 77.3 per cent households across the country have been provided tap water connections. He said the extension of the programme till 2028 will accelerate the achievement of ‘Har Ghar Jal’ (water to every household) target.
Majhi said the state has prepared a clear roadmap under JJM 2.0, with emphasis on digital monitoring, public participation, and sustainable operation and maintenance. Around 5,000 rural piped water supply schemes have been mapped under the Sujalam Bharat platform, he said.
The chief minister said the state is currently providing 70 litres of drinking water per person per day and contributing nearly 40 per cent of the project cost. To strengthen citizen-centric services, initiatives such as the Basudha helpline, WhatsApp services and digital grievance platforms have been introduced.
At the grassroots level, Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) are playing a key role in enhancing community participation. ‘Jal Arpan Diwas’ has already been observed in 25 districts, with plans to cover the remaining districts soon, he said.
Highlighting the societal impact, the chief minister said that the mission has significantly improved the lives of women by reducing the burden of fetching water from faraway places. “The Jal Shakti Abhiyan has evolved into a mass movement in the state, with over 2.21 lakh water conservation structures, restoration of over 43,000 water bodies , 42,000 groundwater recharge works and over two lakh watershed projects completed. In addition, more than two crore trees have been planted,” he said.
Patil said the extended phase of the mission from 2026 to 2028 would further ensure water availability in water-scarce areas and bring transformative changes in women’s lives.
State Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water minister Rabi Narayan Naik, chief secretary Anu Garg, Union secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation Ashok Kumar Meena and senior officials were present at the programme.