Odishatv Bureau
Bhubaneswar:  If things go as per plan, all urban homes in the State will receive metered water supply in next 10 years. The State Government is soon going to finalise the Odisha State Urban Area Drinking Water Policy in a month and the legislation will be tabled before State Cabinet in May for approval.
 
This was informed by Housing and Urban Development minister Debi Prasad Mishra after a meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here at the secretariat on Monday.
 
The new policy requires the consumers to avail the facility through metered water connections and pay accordingly like the other monthly utility bills.
 
“Right now we have not even 1% of metered water supply. But the new policy focuses on piped drinking water through meters. Consumers will pay according to their usage,” Housing and Urban Development Secretary I Srinivas said.
 
“As per our plan we’ll cover nearly 50% of the urban areas in next five years and the rest in the following five years,” added the official.
 
Currently residents of only 21 urban areas in the State are getting the national average per day per capita water consumption of 135 liters while locals of 49 such areas are receiving water much below the level.
 
Census 2011 figures show, compared to 21.1% people in 2001, around 18.5% have to travel beyond 100 metres for drinking water in urban areas.
scrollToTop