Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to bolster road infrastructure, the Cabinet has approved the ‘Odisha State Road Policy 2025’ with an aim to provide a framework for a quality road network, ensure safe, sustainable, and efficient movement of people and goods across the state.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday informed the Assembly regarding the decisions taken by the state Cabinet in its meeting held on Thursday.
Key Features of the Odisha State Road Policy 2025:
1) Determination of guidelines for inter-departmental handover of roads.
2) Provision of adequate and sustainable funding for road infrastructure management and maintenance of road infrastructure.
3) Improvement of safety of road network to reduce accidents and fatalities.
4) Strengthening the capacity of road sector organizations in planning, design, procurement, construction, maintenance and project management.
5) The proposed Odisha State Road Policy-2025 also focuses on bridge development in the state.
The Cabinet also decided that a ‘Comprehensive Online Bridge Information System-BIS’ will be developed to collect detailed information on all bridges in the state, with annual assessments conducted through modern processes.
In another significant step, the Cabinet approved a proposal for the creation of an autonomous Odisha State Highways Authority to expedite road projects in the state.
The state Cabinet approved the Odisha State Highways Authority Bill-2025.
The State Highways Authority will be created along the lines of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). It will also look after the existing roads and state highways in Odisha.
Proper road communication is necessary for economic development of the state. The state government has set a target to develop and upgrade around 75,000 km roads in Odisha.
The Cabinet approved a total of ten proposals pertaining to seven departments. One of the most notable decisions was the approval of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) for Odisha. With this, over 3.46 crore people in the Odishae will now be eligible for free healthcare services under the central government’s flagship health insurance scheme. This move is expected to significantly improve access to quality medical treatment for economically weaker sections.
The inclusion of Odisha in Ayushman Bharat marks a shift from the previous Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), aligning the state’s healthcare policies with the central scheme. The government has assured that all necessary infrastructure will be developed for the seamless implementation of the program.
The Cabinet approved a proposal for an estimated expenditure of Rs 27,019.25 crore for the implementation of the integrated Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PMJAY) and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) for five years, starting from the financial year 2025-26 to 2029-30.
