Bhubaneswar, 24 October (H.S.): Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday inaugurated the National Urban Conclave-2026 in Bhubaneswar and launched 26 e-bus services under the PM E-Bus Sewa Scheme. The state plans to introduce 400 additional e-buses, along with 100 midi and 50 mini e-buses, expanding public transport services to nine more cities.

The Chief Minister said Odisha aims to become a $500-billion economy by 2036, when the state will complete 100 years of its formation. The government is working to increase the state’s urbanisation rate from the current 17% to 40% by 2036 through modern infrastructure, planned urban expansion and improved civic amenities.

Majhi said Odisha has received investment proposals worth ₹23 lakh crore, with projects involving investments of ₹3.5 lakh crore and more than 200 industries having reached the grounding stage. The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip Economic Region (BKPPER) is being developed with the guidance of the Centre and NITI Aayog. Plans are also underway to expand Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and develop satellite townships.

The government has provided ₹6,000 crore for urban infrastructure development. Under PMAY-Urban, 1.53 lakh houses have been constructed, while ₹1,615 crore has been approved over five years for the PMAY Urban Bandhu programme, which offers eligible economically weaker section beneficiaries a 90% exemption in stamp duty and registration fees.

The Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) network currently operates 770 buses across 138 routes, connecting seven cities and serving around 3.5 lakh passengers daily. The new e-bus services will extend to Baripada, Angul, Jharsuguda, Balasore, Jajpur, Rayagada, Jeypore, Bhadrak and Balangir.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the Odisha Yatri app, which has facilitated more than nine lakh bus journeys through digital ticketing. Drivers have reportedly earned ₹12 crore, receiving the full fare without commission deductions.

Highlighting the conclave’s theme, “The Right to Walk”, Majhi stressed the importance of safe footpaths, road crossings and well-planned public spaces. He also referred to the state’s ‘Drink from Tap’ initiative, now operational in 11 cities, and piped drinking water supply across 114 urban areas. The ₹1,600-crore Swachh Odisha Yojana and the Garima scheme for sanitation workers are among the other urban development initiatives.

During the event, the Chief Minister released the Ankur Handbook and Town Planning Handbook and launched the new Urban Development Policy.

NITI Aayog CEO Anurag Jain said that by 2047, nearly 50% of India’s population could live in urban areas, contributing around 75% of the country’s GDP. He stressed that planned urbanisation was essential for sustainable economic growth and to prevent problems arising from unregulated urban expansion.

Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu, Odisha Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr Krishna Chandra Mahapatra, Chief Secretary Anu Garg and Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee, along with officials and urban development experts, attended the conclave.

Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda