Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced to engage members of women self-help groups (SHGs) of Mission Shakti in property tax collection.

“Engaging the SHGS in tax collection will enhance the tax collection besides ensuring financial prosperity and empowerment of women,” Naveen said.

Naveen made this announcement while attending a meeting to upgrade the skills and capacity building of women Jal Sathis. The women Jal Sathis are engaged in meter reading, maintenance of water treatment plants, providing new water connections, and finding out the illegal water connections in their areas. Their participation has brought a major change in water management, ensuring every household in urban areas gets piped water.

In order to encourage them to do their jobs more efficiently, Naveen also announced that bicycles will be provided to women Jal Sathis.

Naveen lauded the effort of Jal Sathis. “The Jal Sathis are working in a superb spirit. They have scripted a success story in water management. It’s because of them Odisha has emerged as the leading state in providing pure piped drinking water in 85 cities and towns.”

Not only WSHGs, even transgenders have also been entrusted with the responsibility in water management.

“Odisha is the only state where 100 per cent piped water is being supplied in 85 of the 114 urban places. The remaining urban bodies will be supplied with pipe water by December 2023. So far, 740 Jal Sathis are looking after the management of water supply to 8.40 lakh consumers. They have so far collected Rs 67 crore water charges,” officials said.