THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR,
MARCH 20, 2026
Emphasising the need for an
aspirational yet practical policy architecture, Odisha’s Housing & Urban
Development Department Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee asserted that
Odisha is committed to designing a futuristic City Gas Distribution framework
that will accelerate infrastructure rollout, simplify processes, and
significantly enhance the ease of living for citizens across urban centres.
In a significant step towards
strengthening urban utility infrastructure and promoting clean energy adoption,
the Housing & Urban Development Department has initiated the process of
framing a comprehensive City Gas Distribution Policy.
A high-level consultative meeting was
held at Kharabela Bhawan under Padhee’s chairpersonship, in collaboration with
leading energy majors GAIL (India) Limited and Indian Oil Corporation Limited.
The meeting deliberated on a strategic
roadmap for the expansion of Piped Natural Gas networks across the state,
focusing on building a future-ready, citizen-centric policy aligned with Odisha’s
long-term development goals.
Padhee highlighted that the proposed
framework would play a pivotal role in enhancing access to clean, efficient,
and reliable energy while supporting sustainable urban growth and improved
service delivery.
Key discussions centred around
streamlining permissions, rationalising licence fees, introducing single-window
clearance systems, and operationalising deemed approval mechanisms. The
deliberations also covered adoption frameworks, institutional coordination, and
robust service delivery systems to ensure seamless implementation of the
policy.
The initiative is being driven in close
coordination with stakeholders such as GAIL and Indian Oil Corporation Limited,
leveraging their technical expertise to ensure efficient execution of city gas
infrastructure projects. The proposed policy is expected to significantly
accelerate the rollout of PNG infrastructure, strengthen coordination among
stakeholders, and position Odisha as a frontrunner in clean and sustainable
urban energy adoption.
Senior officials including Arindam
Dakua, Director, Municipal Administration; Kirandeep Kaur Sahota, Commissioner,
CMC; senior representatives from IOCL and GAIL; along with officers from IDCO
and the Housing & Urban Development Department, including Nihar Ranjan
Behera, CGM, IDCO; Ratnakar Sahu, Additional Commissioner, BMC; and Suvendu
Kumar Sahoo, Additional Secretary, H&UD participated in the deliberations.
The collective inputs from the session
are expected to shape a comprehensive and forward-looking policy aligned with
Odisha’s vision for a greener, more efficient, and future-ready urban
landscape.
