Mumbai, Oct. 28 -- Odisha aims to raise its urbanisation rate from 17 per cent to 40 per cent and become a $500 bn economy by 2036, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said. The target was outlined at the 2nd National Urban Conclave 2026 in Bhubaneswar, held alongside the 19th Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo.

Majhi said the state was developing modern urban infrastructure as it approached the centenary of its formation. He also flagged off 26 buses under the Prime Minister's PM e-Bus Sewa Yojana, stating that the state planned to introduce 400 electric buses, 100 midi e-buses and 50 mini e-buses. The expanded fleet will extend Ama Bus services to nine additional cities, taking coverage beyond the seven cities currently served by the Central Region Urban Transport agency.

The chief minister said Odisha had received investment proposals worth Rs. 23 tn, while projects involving Rs. 3.5 tn across more than 200 industries had been grounded. The state is also developing the Bhubaneswar-Kataka-Puri-Paradip Economic Region with guidance from the Centre and NITI Aayog. Satellite townships are planned alongside the expansion of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, while 28 new notified area councils, seven municipalities and one municipal corporation have been created.

On housing, Majhi said 153,000 homes had been built in Odisha under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban. Under its 2.0 phase, Rs. 16.15 bn has been sanctioned over five years for the Urban Bandhu programme, which offers economically weaker section beneficiaries a 90 per cent exemption on stamp duty and registration fees. The state has also earmarked Rs. 60 bn for urban infrastructure.

The chief minister highlighted 24-hour Drink from Tap water supply in 11 cities and the Swachh Odisha Yojana, supported by Rs. 16 bn. He said safe footpaths, pedestrian crossings and public spaces were essential to urban transport, while electric buses would improve connectivity and support sustainable mobility. The nine new service locations are Baripada, Angul, Jharsuguda, Balasore, Jajpur, Rayagada, Jeypore, Bhadrak and Balangir. NITI Aayog chief executive Anurag Jain said urban residents would account for 50 per cent of India's population by 2047 and contribute 75 per cent of gross domestic product.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.