Bhubaneswar: A comprehensive Review Conference of Commissioners and Executive Officers of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across Odisha was held today through virtual mode under the chairpersonship of Usha Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Housing & Urban Development Department.
The conference reviewed urban governance, municipal service delivery, financial management, infrastructure development, sanitation, housing, water supply, and implementation of key urban flagship programmes across the State. Senior officials of the Department, WATCO, PHEO, CRUT, PMAY-U, OUHM, and allied agencies participated in the day-long review. During the meeting, Minister for Housing & Urban Development, Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, joined through video conferencing and issued several strategic directives aimed at strengthening urban governance and administrative accountability. Stressing proactive urban management, the Minister directed ULBs to undertake immediate drainage cleaning and intensified sanitation measures to prevent waterlogging during the monsoon season.
He further instructed officials to prepare a uniform design blueprint for welcome gates in all newly declared Notified Area Councils (NACs) to establish a distinct urban identity. Emphasising financial sustainability, Mahapatra advised ULBs to reduce dependence on conventional revenue sources and prepare action plans for achieving at least 50 percent self-sustainability through innovative revenue-generation mechanisms.
To enhance institutional accountability and administrative efficiency, the Minister also directed immediate implementation of a digitized personnel database and mandatory monthly progress reporting systems for all ULB staff.
In her inaugural address, Usha Padhee outlined a transformative vision for Odisha’s urban future and stressed the importance of responsive, transparent, accountable, and citizen-centric governance. She called for convergence of sanitation, waste management, housing, water supply, green infrastructure, and Smart City initiatives under an integrated urban development framework aligned with Odisha’s long-term growth vision.
Highlighting new opportunities under the Government of India’s Urban Challenge Fund with an outlay of ₹1 lakh crore, she urged ULBs to strengthen project preparedness, innovation, and institutional capacity to secure competitive funding support. She also advised urban bodies to explore institutional finance, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models, and credit-linked financing mechanisms for accelerating infrastructure development.