Bhubaneswar: A nine-member delegation from the Rajasthan Urban Drinking Water Sewerage and Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (RUIDP), Jaipur, praised Odisha’s achievements in urban service delivery during a visit to Bhubaneswar and Puri under an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-supported exposure programme to study the state’s best practices in water supply, sanitation and urban governance. During the visit, the delegation conducted field inspections of major urban infrastructure projects in Bhubaneswar and Puri and interacted with officials of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to gain first-hand insights into the state’s urban governance, sanitation systems, service delivery mechanisms and citizen-centric initiatives.
A key highlight of the programme was an interactive session at the Odisha Urban Academy with Housing and Urban Development department Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee. Padhee presented a comprehensive overview of the state’s urban transformation journey and highlighted several innovative initiatives that have earned Odisha recognition as a national leader in urban reforms. She elaborated on the flagship 24×7 ‘Drink from Tap’ Mission, which has emerged as a benchmark in urban water supply management by ensuring safe, equitable and uninterrupted access to quality drinking water for citizens. Padhee also outlined Odisha’s achievements in sanitation and waste management, integrated urban planning, modernisation of public transport, technology-driven governance, and sustainable urban infrastructure development.
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