In Odisha, only 22 per cent (11,913) of anganwadi centres have tap water connections. The central government has asked the state government to ensure that in the next few months, provision of safe tap water is made in all remaining anganwadi centres for better health, improved sanitation and hygiene.
Other than the anganwadis, the central government has also asked the state government to ensure tap water supply in primary health centres, community health centres, and schools in the state. As of now, only 47 per cent (25,820) of schools in the state have access to piped water. This data was shared by the Ministry of Jal Shakti yesterday on July 11.
In 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission, a scheme under the Ministry of Jal Shakti was launched with an aim to provide safe piped drinking water to every rural household, including anganwadis and rural schools, in the country by 2024.
The state government has ensured every rural household in the state will be provided with tap water supply by March 2024.
Of the total 8,566,000 rural households in the state, 30.3 per cent have tap water supply so far. In 2019, when the Jal Jeevan Mission was announced, only 3.63 per cent (310,000) households had tap water connections.
“In 2021-22, State has planned to provide tap water connections to 21.31 lakh (2,131,000) households, 22.53 lakh (2,253,000) tap water connections in the year 2022-23 and 18.87 lakh (1,887,000) tap water connections in 2023-24 to achieve tap water supply for every rural household,” reads the press statement issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
To achieve this, the central government has allocated Rs 3,323.42 crore (approx. Rs 33.23 billion) for 2021-22. This has been increased from Rs 812.15 crore (Rs 8.12 billion) allocation in 2020-21.
