Bhubaneswar: Currently, only 17 per cent of Odisha’s urban areas are planned. We aim to increase this to 30 per cent by building new cities and revitalising existing ones to improve living standards, Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra said Monday.
Mahapatra was chairing a high-level review meeting at Kharavel Bhawan here focusing on urban development initiatives aligned with the state’s vision for a ‘Viksit Odisha 2036.’
The discussions centred on increasing the share of planned townships, revamping older cities, and expediting urban infrastructure projects.
“The state government plans to replicate the Bhubaneswar Development Authority’s successful implementation of the Town Planning (TP) scheme in other cities,” Mahapatra said.
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The Minister informed in the meeting that authorities were instructed to utilise government-owned land through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models to generate revenue and accelerate urban development projects.
Highlighting the challenges faced by older cities, Mahapatra stressed the need to improve basic infrastructure such as roads, sewage, and drainage systems. Comprehensive renovation plans for Berhampur and new TP schemes for Greater Sambalpur and Greater Rourkela were discussed. Streamlined processes to facilitate housing construction and resolve registration issues are also part of the development agenda.
To ensure the effective execution of urban planning initiatives, the government intends to fill all vacant positions in relevant departments. This move aims to address the need for professional expertise and accelerate progress on various projects. Development authorities were encouraged to adopt a people-centric approach and prioritise citizen needs while planning urbanisation initiatives.
Principal Secretary Usha Padhee emphasised the importance of adaptive strategies in shaping Odisha’s urban future. She urged stakeholders to work collaboratively toward achieving inclusive growth. The meeting was attended by senior officials, including director of Municipal Administration Arindam Dakua, special secretaries Debashis Singh and Sushant Mishra, and representatives from development authorities across the state, including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Puri-Konark, Kalinganagar, Paradip, and Talcher-Angul-Naraj.
Minister Mahapatra reaffirmed that planned urbanisation is a cornerstone of Odisha’s growth strategy. He stressed the importance of proactive planning and public participation in transforming the urban landscape.
By addressing existing challenges and implementing strategic initiatives, the vision of ‘Viksit Odisha 2036’ is steadily becoming a reality, Mahapatra added.
PNN
