The Chief Minister's Office of Odisha on Tuesday, 21 July 2026 reaffirmed the state's commitment to safe and sustainable urban drinking water, citing national recognition under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme, universal piped water coverage across Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and the ongoing expansion of the Drink From Tap programme. The office stated that 'ensuring safe, reliable and sustainable drinking water remains a key priority,' adding that Odisha 'continues to set new benchmarks in urban water management' through these combined efforts.

Context

AMRUT 2.0 — the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation in its second phase — was approved by the Union Cabinet in October 2021 with a total outlay of Rs 2.77 lakh crore. The mission mandates 100 per cent piped water coverage in all statutory towns across India, creating a performance-linked funding framework that incentivises states to compete on national service-level dashboards. Odisha's ULBs have consistently featured among the better-performing entities under this framework. The original AMRUT mission, launched in June 2015, targeted improved water supply and sewerage infrastructure in 500 cities. Its successor broadened the mandate and raised the bar on coverage and sustainability metrics.

Policy Backdrop

Odisha's Drink From Tap initiative certifies specific zones where tap water meets potable standards without any further filtration, a benchmark that few Indian states have replicated at scale. The programme is executed through municipal corporations and municipalities — the Urban Local Bodies — which are also the primary implementing agencies for AMRUT 2.0 projects, handling water distribution, pipeline infrastructure, and billing. India's broader urban water policy has leaned heavily on centrally sponsored missions such as AMRUT and Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban to raise service levels in cities. States that demonstrate measurable progress receive additional performance-linked grants, making national recognition under these schemes both a governance milestone and a fiscal incentive.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of these interventions are urban households across Odisha's statutory towns, who gain access to treated, reliable piped water — reducing dependence on tankers, borewells, and untreated sources. Urban Local Bodies also benefit operationally: higher coverage translates into broader billing bases and improved cost recovery, which in turn supports the financial sustainability of water utilities. For the state government, demonstrated performance under AMRUT 2.0 reinforces its position on the national urban governance scorecard, with implications for central fund flows in subsequent mission cycles.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to the next round of AMRUT 2.0 city rankings, which will test whether Odisha's coverage gains translate into sustained service quality. Equally significant will be any forthcoming state budget provisions or policy announcements aimed at extending Drink From Tap certification to additional Urban Local Bodies beyond the areas currently covered. As India's urban population grows, the pressure on municipalities to deliver reliable potable supply will only intensify — making Odisha's model a reference point for other states navigating the same challenge.