Bhubaneswar: Power, drinking water, and roads are the three fundamental amenities essential for citizens, whether in rural or urban areas. To address gaps in these sectors and enhance the overall quality of life, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has directed the launch of an integrated implementation framework called Mission Power, Water & Roads (PoWaR).
To realise the Chief Minister’s vision and directives, a preparatory meeting was held Tuesday under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo. The meeting was attended by Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water and Rural Development Minister Rabi Narayan Naik, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, and Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg, among others.
As discussed in the meeting, an inter-ministerial committee comprising officials from line departments will be constituted to regularly review the progress of works under Mission PoWaR. District Collectors will be required to submit Panchayat-wise status reports as part of a structured roadmap and timeline.
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“Providing power, drinking water, and last-mile road connectivity to every village is the core objective of Mission PoWaR,” said Deputy CM Singh Deo. He emphasised that the mission will operate on three key principles — Speed, Scale, and Standard (Quality) — ensuring integrated implementation and timely completion of projects across the state.
Minister Naik emphasised the goal of achieving universal drinking water coverage across the state by March 2027. He stated that fluoride-affected areas would be brought under a fluoride removal plan to ensure safe and healthy living conditions.
To achieve last-mile connectivity, a saturation drive will be undertaken by all line departments in coordination with District Collectors, ensuring that left-out habitations and hamlets are covered through small or standalone projects.
The meeting was also attended by Principal Secretary, Energy, Vishal Kumar Dev; Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, SN Girish; Director, Drinking Water, Vineet Bhardwaj; Director, Special Projects, Sidhharth Shankar Swain; and senior officers from the Energy, Rural Development, and Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water departments.
