Bhubaneswar, Aug 13: The Odisha Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal from the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department to allocate up to ₹200 crore from the Odisha Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (OUIDF) to support the ongoing LED Public Street Lighting Project in 110 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the state.
The funds will be drawn from OUIDF’s own resources, generated through the recovery of principal and interest, and will specifically finance retrofitting works—replacing outdated lighting systems with smart, energy-efficient LED fixtures in existing public lighting networks.
The project, currently underway, is part of a broader state initiative to modernise urban street lighting. It aims to improve illumination and public safety, enhance energy efficiency and reduce operational costs and ensure long-term maintenance of lighting infrastructure.
It includes both greenfield installations (in newly developed or previously unlit areas) and retrofitting (upgrading old or defective lighting systems).
The need for expanded street lighting infrastructure has risen sharply due to the rapid expansion of urban areas and increasing public demand for safer, well-lit streets. Many municipalities and Notified Area Councils (NACs) have requested new installations as well as upgrades to aging, malfunctioning systems.
