Bhubaneswar, Jul 2 (IANS): The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 388 crore to the Odisha government under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for setting up four mega piped drinking water supply projects.

NABARD's Chief General Manager for Odisha region, C. Udayabhaskar, said that one project will be executed in Koraput district, one in Balasore and two in Malkangiri district.

The drinking water supply projects are intended to provide 70 litres per capita per day (LPCD) portable drinking water at the consumer end through functional household tap connection with eight hours of water supply in the project areas of the three districts, he said.

Udayabhaskar said that these projects are expected to provide clean and safe drinking water to 2.57 lakh rural people in 467 villages, helping the state achieve the goal of supplying drinking water to every rural household by 2022.

The amount sanctioned under the RIDF also includes construction and upgradation of 20 village roads across 15 districts in the state. The road projects are expected to improve the livelihood of 1.52 lakh people in 162 villages, Udayabhaskar said.

During the current financial year, critical rural infrastructure projects under drinking water, irrigation and rural connectivity (road and bridge) are being planned, which will be supported under RIDF.

The cumulative sanction under RIDF for the current year and sanction since its inception stand at Rs 691 crore and Rs 28,732 crore, respectively.