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Hans India
5 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
ANKUR launched to catalyse urban growth
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday launched ANKUR, a strategic initiative designed to catalyse urban growth across the State. On the occasion, the State's Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department signed MoUs with six leading organisations engaged in the urban development ecosystem in the presence of department minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra. Speaking at the launch, Mahapatra said, 'ANKUR – Atal Network for Knowledge, Urbanisation and Reforms — represents a collective promise to build cities that are efficient, smart and above all, citizen-centric. This is a movement toward a Viksit Odisha, co-authored by communities, institutions and the government alike.' Department's Principal Secretary Usha Padhee said the genesis of ANKUR was not a single moment, but rather a series of reflections, conversations and collaborations. 'It was born out of a growing realisation within our department that the pace and complexity of urbanisation in Odisha required new thinking, new partnerships and new platforms,' she added. Over the past year, through internal consultations and engagements with experts, practitioners and institutions across the country and beyond, a vision began to take shape, she said, adding that ANKUR emerged as an answer to those questions — a platform to co-create solutions, to institutionalise innovation and to sustain partnerships that can carry us through the next decade of urban growth. As Odisha's urban population is projected to triple by 2036, ANKUR has been envisioned as a transformative platform to co-create resilient, livable and future-ready cities. 'ANKUR aligns with the national aspiration of Viksit Bharat @2047, while responding to Odisha's unique socio-economic and urban context. It will strengthen four strategic pillars of urban development - capacity building, knowledge and research, implementation support and innovation,' Padhee said.
New Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Odisha govt to offer houses at Rs 15 lakh-Rs 50 lakh to people in Bhubaneswar: Minister Mahapatra
BHUBANESWAR : In what could come as a huge relief for aspiring home buyers amid skyrocketing real estate prices in the capital city, the state government is planning to construct and provide houses to people in an affordable range of Rs 15 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Saturday told mediapersons as part of the 'Greater Bhubaneswar and Better Bhubaneswar' initiative, the government is planning to take up housing projects in the city in which dwelling units will be provided to people at very affordable prices. 'Currently, a house in the state capital costs at least Rs 1 crore. We are planning to provide different categories of LIG (low income group) and MIG (middle income group) houses to people in the range of Rs 15 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. The H&UD department is working out a comprehensive plan in this regard,' Mahapatra said. He said the growing population of the city is leading to shortage of land in the capital city and imposing huge burden on the civic infrastructure. 'Steps are being taken to expand the capital region through implementation of town-planning schemes. The schemes implemented by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) will expand the periphery of the city allowing people to buy houses at more affordable prices,' he said. The minster said plans are also being worked out for decongestion of traffic in the city. 'Proposals to construct overbridges at key junctions to decongest traffic is under consideration. We will also run more city buses to improve the capital's public transport system,' he added. Mahapatra stressed government focus on improving the smart city infrastructure. 'The smart city projects implemented earlier have not been fruitful. We are working on improving these infrastructure and make them effective,' he said. Action plan for Gangua nullah Bhubaneswar: The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department will soon work out an action plan for desiltation and cleaning of Gangua nullah and Daya West Canal to increase their carrying capacity and address the problem of urban flooding in the capital city. A team led by H&UD secretary Usha Padhee carried out a field assessment on Saturday
New Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Odisha Government readies monsoon action plan to tackle urban flooding
BHUBANESWAR : Anticipating an above-normal rainfall in the ensuing monsoon season, the state government has worked out a comprehensive 'Urban Flood and Waterlogging Management' action plan to tackle waterlogging in different cities and towns effectively. The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department has asked all the urban local bodies (ULBs) follow it strictly for safeguarding public health, infrastructure and urban livelihoods through necessary preventive, preparatory and responsive measures in the event of heavy rainfall. 'The action plan will be implemented through proactive planning and community participation. The main objective is to ensure urban areas in the state remain resilient, safe and prepared for the challenges of an intense monsoon,' said Housing and Urban Development minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra. As per the action plan, the ULBs will carry out inspection of all major and internal drains and ensure their desiltation and repair before monsoon. Focus will be more on repairing damaged covers and removing encroachments obstructing drainage channels. The ULBs will also install bar screens and wire meshes in tertiary drains to filter out solid waste and prevent blockages during peak rainfall. Personnel will be deployed for continuous monitoring and waste removal. Identification of waterlogging hotspots will be carried out across all urban areas for pre-deployment of pump sets and emergency equipment. Zone-level officers will be appointed for real-time emergency response in these areas. Machinery will be kept in readiness by the civic administrations to clear roads, blocked due to uprooted trees or damage to infrastructure in heavy rain or storm, in a swift manner. The drinking water services, however, will be restored immediately by WATCO and PHEO in a coordinated manner, the action plan stated. The government has also asked the urban local bodies to keep the multi-purpose cyclone shelters and public buildings in readiness to use them as emergency shelters, in the time of need. Structural safety, water, sanitation, food supply, and security, especially for women and vulnerable populations, will be ensured in these shelters.
New Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Headless & sans members, ORERA in limbo; Odisha makes H&UD principal secretary regulatory authority
BHUBANESWAR: With all key posts in the Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA) including that of chairman lying vacant, the state government on Monday appointed the principal secretary, Housing and Urban Development department as its regulatory authority. As per the notification of the H&UD department, the principal secretary will remain the regulatory authority of ORERA as per the provisions of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016 until further orders. The ORERA functions with three senior officials - a chairman and two members -- member (judicial) and member (administration). After ORERA chairman Siddhanta Das resigned on February 28, the H&UD department had appointed member (judicial) Gopal Chandra Patnaik as the acting chairperson. Patnaik retired on May 9, a week after the retirement of member (administration) Pradeep Biswal, leaving the authority headless. Sources said though a three-member panel has shortlisted names and submitted it to the state government for appointment to the three positions, some home buyers, owing to the delay in appointment, moved the Orissa High Court and the Supreme Court and the matter is now sub-judice in the HC. The principal secretary of the H&UD department has been appointed as the regulatory authority for the body as a temporary measure, they added.
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Odisha govt asks BMC, BDA to rehabilitate 600 families from Niladri Vihar transit homes
BHUBANESWAR: The state government has asked the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) to rehabilitate around 600 families residing in transit homes in Niladri Vihar area of the city, to affordable housing project or in-situ slum redevelopment (ISSR) project under their jurisdictions. Sources in the Housing and Urban Development department said the government has also issued a set of guidelines to be followed by both the agencies for smooth relocation of the households. Though information regarding 639 families residing in the transit houses is with the agencies, both BDA and BMC have been asked to conduct a fresh enumeration jointly to ascertain the exact number of families staying in the transit camp and their eligibility for allotment of dwelling units under the affordable housing or in-situ slum redevelopment project, said an official of the department. As per the H&UD guidelines, families which have deposited part beneficiary contribution but are unable to pay the remaining balance will be assisted to avail bank loan for the purpose. The department has also made it clear that a family will not be allowed to stay in the transit house beyond six months, and has asked the agencies to take measures accordingly. Last year, the state government had rehabilitated about 455 families from the transit shelters of Niladri Vihar and nearby areas to the Nilamadhab Niwas, an affordable housing project, as part of its 'Housing For All' mission. The project includes construction of about 1,200 dwelling units of which about 960 units have already been completed and handed over to BDA for allotment. In another development, the state government had recently asked the BDA to file cancellation proposal for allegedly failing to take up an ISSR project with 400 dwelling units at VSS Nagar.
