Bhubaneswar: The Housing and Urban Development department Tuesday, in collaboration with TSU-FSSM (EY) and Dasra, organised a learning workshop on Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (FSSM) at Odisha Urban Academy.
The workshop brought together senior officials, sector experts, and key knowledge partners to consolidate and advance Odisha’s pioneering initiatives in urban sanitation.
During the event, a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of the department’s Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee, between the Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO), the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), and TIDE Technocrats Ltd for the establishment of a state-of-the-art pyrolysis unit at the Basuaghai Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP).
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The workshop featured a structured stakeholder consultation, aimed at eliciting actionable recommendations to further strengthen Odisha’s FSSM framework and ensure its long-term operational and financial sustainability, in alignment with the state’s vision of ‘Viksit Odisha’.
Addressing the gathering, Padhee appreciated the collective efforts of the state government and its partners, describing Odisha’s FSSM programme as “a bright star in the urban development domain,” receiving recognition at both national and international levels.
She also acknowledged the decade-long partnership with the Gates Foundation for its continued support in strengthening the state’s sanitation initiatives.
Department’s Additional Secretary and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) Mission Director Binaya Kumar Dash stated that the learning workshop marks an important milestone in enhancing the future-readiness, scalability, and sustainability of Odisha’s FSSM ecosystem.
The initiative marks a significant step towards advanced biosolids treatment, resource recovery, and promotion of circular economy practices in the sanitation sector.
