Bhubaneswar, August 23:The Housing & Urban Development Department of the Odisha Government organised the Odisha Urban Conclave 2026 at the Convention Centre Auditorium, Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, on Sunday, bringing together senior officials, municipal functionaries, urban planners, technical experts and other stakeholders to review urban development programmes and chart a roadmap for stronger Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

The conclave served as a comprehensive review-cum-orientation programme, focusing on urban governance, infrastructure development, municipal finances, citizen-centric services and sustainable urban growth across the State.

Additional Chief Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Usha Padhee, delivered the welcome address and outlined the Government’s vision for transforming Odisha’s urban landscape. She stressed the need to strengthen institutional capacity, improve municipal performance, ensure sound financial management and adopt an outcome-oriented approach to the implementation of urban development programmes.

The morning technical sessions focused on budget and financial management, revenue generation, expenditure analysis and performance improvement of ULBs. Special attention was given to low-performing urban local bodies, with discussions aimed at improving municipal finances, accountability and the quality of grassroots service delivery.

The conclave also held detailed deliberations on urban planning and infrastructure development, including Standard Operating Procedures for Town Planning Schemes, the ‘Samruddha Sahar’ framework, the Urban Challenge Fund, planned development of Tier-II and Tier-III cities, the ‘Mukhyamantri Sahari Bikas Yojana’, pedestrian-friendly roads and the Rural-Urban Transition Policy.

The discussions highlighted the importance of integrated and planned development to ensure that Odisha’s rapidly expanding urban areas remain inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

Progress of key citizen-centric welfare initiatives was also reviewed. These included PM SVANidhi, Shelters for Urban Homeless, Sahajog, Sahajog Plus and the Aahaar scheme. Officials emphasised effective implementation, improved outreach and ensuring that the benefits of these programmes reach intended beneficiaries.

Addressing the conclave, Housing & Urban Development Minister Dr Krushna Chandra Mahapatra reiterated the Government’s commitment to sustainable urban transformation, planned infrastructure growth and citizen-centric governance. He called upon ULBs to enhance their efficiency, responsiveness and service delivery standards in keeping with the growing expectations of urban citizens.

Speaking to the media, the Minister outlined the Government’s developmental roadmap and governance reforms aimed at accelerating urban development while making municipal bodies more accountable and responsive. He stressed that timely project completion, effective implementation and improved public services must remain central to urban governance.

The afternoon sessions focused on technology-enabled governance through the SUJOG platform, housing initiatives under PMAY-U 2.0 and Affordable Rental Housing, urban mobility, expansion of the CRUT city bus network and strengthening of solid and liquid waste management systems.

The sessions underlined the role of e-governance, accessible housing, sustainable public transport and scientific waste management in creating liveable, resilient and future-ready cities.

A dedicated Technical Symposium on Used Water Management was also organised alongside the conclave. The symposium brought together engineering teams, technical experts and practitioners from leading institutions and organisations, including CPHEEO, IIT Palakkad, IIT Roorkee, IIT Bhubaneswar, CEEW, CSE, OWSSB and the Water Resources Department.

The technical deliberations focused on decentralised wastewater treatment, STP/FSTP biosolids management and standards, urban drainage, safe reuse of treated wastewater and sustainable used-water management. Experts and practitioners exchanged knowledge and discussed scalable solutions suited to the diverse requirements of Odisha’s urban areas.

The symposium concluded with industry presentations showcasing innovative solutions such as low-footprint Sewage Treatment Plants, vacuum sewerage conveyance systems and mechanised sludge management technologies. The discussions are expected to support the adoption of technology-driven and context-specific approaches to sanitation, wastewater management and environmental sustainability.

The Odisha Urban Conclave 2026 provided a common platform for reviewing ongoing programmes, identifying implementation gaps, sharing best practices and developing a forward-looking strategy for strengthening Urban Local Bodies.

The conclave reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to developing planned, inclusive, resilient, sustainable and citizen-centric cities while responding to the challenges and opportunities arising from Odisha’s rapid urbanisation.