Odisha Provides Tap Water Connections to 68.73 Lakh Rural Households

More than 68 lakh rural households in Odisha have been provided tap water connections under the Centre’s Jal Jeevan Mission, taking household coverage to 77% as of August 2026, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.

As reported by The Times of India, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti V Somanna said the number of rural homes covered in the state has risen sharply from 3.1 lakh in 2019 to 68.73 lakh by August this year.

The figures were provided in response to a question from BJD MP Sasmit Patra, with the minister outlining the respective responsibilities of the Centre and the state government in delivering drinking water services.

Somanna said drinking water is a state subject, making state governments responsible for the planning, implementation, operation and maintenance of water supply schemes. The Centre, he said, assists states through financial support, policy guidance and technical inputs.

The expansion in Odisha forms part of the Jal Jeevan Mission, which was launched in August 2019 under the Har Ghar Jal programme. The initiative seeks to ensure a regular and adequate supply of safe drinking water to people in rural areas through household tap connections.

In Odisha, coverage has therefore increased from 3.1 lakh rural households at the beginning of the mission in 2019 to 68.73 lakh by August 2026, according to the information placed before Parliament.

The latest coverage means that tap water connections now extend to more than three-fourths of the state’s rural households.