Bhubaneswar: In a major push towards sustainable water management and long-term water security, the Odisha Government has stepped up the implementation of its In-Stream Storage Structure (ISS) Scheme under ISS 2.0, adopting a mission-mode approach to conserve monsoon water and ensure its availability throughout the year.
The Water Resources Department has undertaken 89 projects in four phases under the initiative. Of these, 10 In-Stream Storage Structures have already been completed, creating a combined designed storage capacity of approximately 1.10 crore cubic metres, equivalent to 11 billion litres of water.
The completed projects are expected to benefit around 1.82 lakh people in more than 122 villages across the state, providing a major boost to local water availability, particularly during periods of low rainfall and the lean season.
Spread across eight districts, these completed structures are expected to play a significant role in meeting the water requirements of rural communities and strengthening the state’s water conservation infrastructure.
Meanwhile, construction work on another 22 projects is progressing across 13 districts, while 35 projects are at various stages in the pipeline. Of these, 12 projects are expected to be taken up shortly.
The ISS initiative aims to conserve monsoon river flows by developing scientifically designed storage structures within river systems. The objective is to retain surplus monsoon water that would otherwise flow downstream unused and make it available for productive use during the dry season.
Beyond irrigation, the stored water is expected to serve multiple purposes, including groundwater recharge, drinking-water supply, fisheries development and other livelihood-generating activities.
Official sources said the initiative would not only improve water availability but also strengthen the resilience of rural communities against seasonal water shortages and the increasing uncertainties associated with irregular rainfall.
With the expansion of the ISS network, Odisha is seeking to build a more sustainable and dependable water management system, ensuring that monsoon flows become a valuable resource for agriculture, rural livelihoods and long-term development.