Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated 423 projects and laid foundation stones for 170 others across 62 urban areas.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched 593 urban development projects worth Rs 323 crore across 62 urban areas under the Chief Minister’s Urban Development Scheme, according to ANI.
Speaking at the state-level Local Self-Government Day programme in Bhubaneswar, Majhi said 423 projects worth Rs 102 crore were inaugurated, while foundation stones were laid for 170 projects worth Rs 221 crore.
The Chief Minister noted that the number of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) has increased from 115 to 143. He projected that approximately 40 per cent of the state's population will live in urban areas by 2036, rising to nearly 60 per cent by 2047.
Majhi also launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Bandhu programme and the OSWAN Video Conferencing facility in 115 ULBs to improve communication between the state government and urban bodies.
To strengthen urban planning, the Odisha Urban Academy has signed memorandums of understanding with Sri Sri University, CRUT, Indian School of Business, and the National Institute of Urban Affairs.
The Chief Minister urged mayors and councillors to coordinate with officials for time-bound solutions and called for environmentally responsible urbanisation, including water-body protection and waste management.
