Bhubaneswar: Odisha is setting an ambitious target of reaching 40 percent urbanization and establishing a $500 billion economy by the year 2036, coinciding with the state’s centenary as a separate entity, stated Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday.
While speaking at the National Urban Conclave-2026 in Bhubaneswar, Majhi noted that the current urbanization level in the state is at 17 percent. He highlighted ongoing initiatives to create modern infrastructure, advanced institutions, and well-planned urban centers to boost economic progress.
Majhi mentioned that Odisha’s growth strategy is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ and the ‘Purvodaya’ policy, positioning the state as a key driver of national growth. He emphasized the importance of developing cities that are inclusive, technology-centric, and equipped with essential amenities.
With projections indicating that India’s urban population will surpass its rural counterpart by 2047, planned urbanization is crucial for maintaining economic momentum, he added.
Chief Minister Majhi also pointed out the state’s investment potential, revealing that Odisha has attracted proposals worth ₹23 lakh crore, with ₹3.5 lakh crore already grounded across more than 200 industrial projects.
The state is currently advancing the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip Economic Region (BKPPER) with support from the Central government and NITI Aayog, and is in the process of expanding Bhubaneswar and Cuttack through new satellite townships.
To enhance urban governance and infrastructure, the government has established 28 new Notified Area Councils (NACs), seven municipalities, and one municipal corporation.
Majhi stressed the importance of affordable housing and urban welfare, noting that 1.53 lakh homes have been built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U). The PMAY 2.0 initiative has allocated ₹1,615 crore for the ‘PMAY Urban Bandhu’ program over the next five years, providing a 90 percent discount on stamp duty and registration fees for beneficiaries from economically weaker sections (EWS).
The state has earmarked ₹6,000 crore for urban infrastructure and is implementing the ₹1,600-crore ‘Swachh Odisha Yojana’. The ‘Drink from Tap’ water supply initiative is currently operational in 11 cities.
Furthermore, under the ‘Garima’ scheme, sanitation workers, including Swachh Sathis, are being equipped with modern tools, safety gear, life insurance, and social security benefits to ensure their safety and dignity.
During the conclave, which focused on the theme ‘The Right to Walk’, Majhi highlighted the necessity for safe footpaths, pedestrian crossings, and well-planned public spaces in urban transport systems.
The Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) network, which started with 200 buses in 2018, has expanded to 770 buses operating across 138 routes in seven cities, serving approximately 3.5 lakh passengers daily. At the event, the Chief Minister launched 26 electric buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa initiative, with plans to add 400 more e-buses, 100 midi buses, and 50 mini buses to the fleet.
This expansion will extend e-bus services to nine additional cities, including Baripada, Angul, Jharsuguda, Baleswar, Jajpur, Rayagada, Jeypore, Bhadrak, and Bolangir.
Over nine lakh bus journeys have utilized digital ticketing through the ‘Odisha Yatiri App’, allowing drivers to earn ₹12 crore in fares without commission deductions.
On this occasion, Majhi also introduced the ‘Ankur Handbook’ and the ‘Town Planning Handbook’ while unveiling the new urban development policy.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg underscored the necessity of providing essential civic amenities to citizens, stating that the ‘Drink from Tap’ initiative, which initially launched in Puri, has now reached 11 cities, with piped drinking water being supplied to households in 114 urban areas across the state. To bolster this initiative, ‘Jal Sathis’ will be recruited, and partnerships with IIT have been initiated for ongoing water-quality testing and research.
NITI Aayog CEO Anurag Jain projected that by 2047, 50 percent of India’s population would reside in urban areas, contributing around 75 percent to the nation’s GDP. He emphasized that urbanization must be systematic and well-planned to foster economic growth, warning that unregulated urban expansion could lead to significant challenges.
Satendra Pal Singh, Secretary of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, opened the session with a welcome address, attended by Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu, Odisha Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department Usha Padhee, among other senior officials from the central and state government, experts, and media representatives.
