Bhubaneswar: The state government has notified key amendments to Odisha Town Planning and Improvement Trust (Planning and Building Standards) Rules, 2021 and the Odisha Development Authorities (Planning and Building Standards) Rules, 2020 to facilitate the ease of doing business, official sources said, Wednesday.
The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department Wednesday said that these amendments will bring significant relief to standalone and flatted factories, particularly in the MSME sector and IT/ITeS enterprises in the state. “The notified amendments enhance economic freedom and ease of doing business in Odisha by removing the requirement for ground coverage, reducing parking and setback requirements, and increasing the base Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for factories and IT/ITeS enterprises,” it said. As a result, plotted and flatted factories can now achieve a footprint of over 70 per cent, flatted factories can accommodate twice the number of units as before, and IT/ITeS enterprises can undertake more constructions within fewer floors, it said.
To attract large-scale commercial development along wider roads, incentives have been introduced in the form of FAR relaxations. “Specifically, the base FAR for commercial developments on roads with a width of 18 metres (60 feet) or more has been increased to promote largescale commercial growth,” the department said. For all industrial buildings, restrictions on ground coverage and the requirement for purchasable FAR or Transferable Development Rights (TDR) have been completely removed. Additionally, the parking requirement for industrial buildings has been reduced from 30 per cent to 8 per cent, allowing more space for industrial construction, it added.
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The latest Economic Survey recommended that enhancing economic freedom for individuals and small businesses is arguably the most important policy priority to defi ne and bolster India’s medium-term growth prospects. It also observed that land lost per factory in Odisha due to restrictive building norms was higher than in other states and recommended suitable revisions. “These steps align with the Economic Survey’s call for revising building norms to promote ease of doing business, reduce regulatory costs, and boost job creation and economic growth,” it pointed out Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja said these regulatory reforms will promote ease of doing business, foster innovation, facilitate the adoption of new technologies, and provide Odisha with a competitive advantage. Ahuja added, “Odisha is focusing on transforming the relationship between regulators and businesses, shifting from being a regulator to a facilitator.” H&UD department Principal Secretary Usha Padhee highlighted that the department recognises the importance of adopting global best practices to local contexts and engaging stakeholders in participatory decision-making to build trust and address resistance.
These amendments to building regulations will significantly reduce bureaucratic hurdles, improving ease of doing business and stimulating economic activity. The land lost to building standards has been reduced by 60 per cent for MSMEs, creating greater opportunities for job generation and economic growth, the department said. “With these reforms, Odisha will emerge as a leader in industrial land optimisation, reducing compliance burdens while ensuring robust growth opportunities for entrepreneurs, startups, and global investors,” it added.
