Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Pratap Jena on Tuesday told the House that 19,504 out of total 47,306 villages have been supplied with piped drinking water by now and all the rural households in the State would be provided piped water by 2024-25.

The Minister informed this while replying to a question of Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingha Mishra and Member Santosh Singh Saluja, BJD Members Pradeep Maharathy and Pradeep Amat and many other members.

The Minister said of the Rs 17,372 crore earmarked for the project, the Union Government has provided Rs 549 crore only. Not satisfied with the answer, Bahinipati alleged that the Minister has furnished false data. He stated that more that 50 per cent of the drinking water projects are lying defunct in the State.

While Maharathy said the Government had earlier set March 2020 time limit for drinking water, the Minister said the Government would supply safe drinking water to all urban households by that time.

When Amat wanted to know a project in his constituency has been going on for the last 13 years, the Minister assured him that the department would take action in 24 hours and complete the project at the earliest. The Minister further assured that House that all defunct water supply projects would be repaired soon.

In view of a big number of members wanted to put questions, Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro asked the members to personally submit grievances to the Minister and asked Minister to respond to them accordingly.