Bhubaneswar: The proposal to develop a new city as part of the Greater Bhubaneswar Region was the focus of the discussion as Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs and Power Manohar Lal reviewed implementation and progress of key urban development initiatives and infrastructure projects with Odisha government officials on Sunday.
The proposal envisages a massive economic region encompassing major cities including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, and Paradip, keeping in view rapid urbanisation and the need for a more liveable experience.
Manohar Lal emphasised the need to develop Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, and Khurda as ‘Growth Hubs’ to drive regional economic development. “The focus will be on improving infrastructure, encouraging industrial and commercial growth, and promoting sustainable urbanisation through strategic planning and public-private partnerships,” he said, while highlighting the potential of Odisha’s urban centres.
While assuring support for Greater Bhubaneswar Region project, he advised the state government to explore funding opportunities under the 15th Finance Commission and the Urban Challenge Fund.
The Union Minister also reviewed the proposed Bhubaneswar Metro project and reaffirmed full support from the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs to address the city’s growing public transport needs. The central government has approved the deployment of 400 electric buses for Odisha under the Pradhan Mantri e-Bus Sewa Scheme to promote sustainable urban mobility, a PIB release said.
He further discussed the proposal for 50,000 new houses under PMAY-Urban (PMAY-2) and assured continued coordination with the state government for its expeditious approval.
The Union Minister lauded Odisha’s progress under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), particularly in achieving milestones such as the 24×7 water supply project currently underway in 18 cities. He also directed the state to prioritise clearing legacy waste sites to reclaim land and create greener urban spaces under the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0.
He further emphasised on intensified implementation of PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme and urged the state government to ensure wider outreach and faster credit access for street vendors across Odisha.
More ‘Power’ To Odisha
The Union Minister also discussed key issues, including fly ash utilization, capacity addition, transmission infrastructure, and power allocation, during a review meeting with senior officials.
Manohar Lal also assured that a joint meeting with the Ministries of Coal, Environment, and Railways will be convened to address the fly ash utilization issue comprehensively, including the provision of adequate rail rakes for long-distance transportation of fly ash.
He encouraged the development of more pit-head thermal power plants in Odisha, including through joint ventures with GENCOs of other states. Odisha currently has 20 GW of operational coal-based thermal power capacity, with an additional 10 GW in the pipeline, expected to be commissioned over the next 5–6 years.
He was apprised of intra-state planning strategy and recent progress in strengthening supply to cities like Bhubaneswar and Cuttack along with steps taken by the Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) to resolve Right of Way (RoW) issues.
The Union Minister informed that the proposal for establishing a Green Energy Corridor within the intrastate transmission network of Odisha will be taken up by MNRE after March 31 on completion of the compilation process.
He also assured that inclusion of Odisha in the subsequent phase of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) will be taken up appropriately.
On power allocation, he stated that Odisha will receive adequate power from Phase-II of NLCIL’s Talabira Thermal Power Project in line with Ministry of Power guidelines.
