Bhubaneswar: Emphasising planned urban growth, the Odisha government has earmarked a Rs 200 crore corpus in the recent state Budget to build sustainable urban ecosystems.
Urbanisation is inevitable, but unplanned growth can be avoided through timely planning, said Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, adding that the initiative aims to reflect the aspirations of a progressive Odisha.
In a significant move to reshape the state’s development trajectory, the Odisha government has announced a dedicated allocation of Rs 200 crore in the 2026–27 Budget for a pioneering Rural–Urban Transition initiative.
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The strategic intervention aims to guide the state’s emerging growth corridors towards planned, sustainable and inclusive urbanisation, ensuring orderly expansion and balanced regional development.
As economic momentum accelerates, several peri-urban areas and high-growth Gram Panchayats across Odisha are organically evolving into urban clusters.
To preempt the challenges of unplanned sprawl, the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department has introduced a proactive framework to manage this transition in a planned and scientific manner.
Unlike conventional reclassification, the initiative emphasises “governance readiness,” equipping emerging regions with essential infrastructure and service delivery systems aligned with urban standards even before they are formally notified as towns.
The transition framework rests on several key pillars, including planned development of peri-urban belts to prevent haphazard expansion, early provision of urban-level civic amenities such as drainage, waste management and street lighting, and regulated land use to promote climate-resilient and balanced growth.
It also focuses on preparing local administrations across Odisha for a smooth shift from rural governance structures to urban management systems, ensuring efficient service delivery and orderly urbanisation.
Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee said, “Our objective is to institutionalise a structured pathway for peri-urban areas to evolve into vibrant centres without disruption.
By leveraging data-driven spatial planning and infrastructure benchmarking, we aim to ensure that growth remains regulated, sustainable and citizen-centric.”
