A new policy will come up soon for water supply in urban areas of Odisha. The state government is likely to finalise the draft “Odisha State Urban Area Drinking Water Policy” in a month.

The draft will be tabled before the state cabinet in May for approval. If the policy will be executed, all the urban people will get the metered water supply at their homes in next 10 years. The consumers will have to pay water bill like other monthly bills.

Housing and Urban Development Minister Debi Prasad Mishra informed the media about the policy after a meeting, which was chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Secretariat on Monday.

The government is planning to cover near 50% of the urban areas in next five years and rest of the percentage will be completed in another five years. It suggested that all the residents in urban areas will get metered water connections like they are having electricity connection. They will pay according to their usage.