THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR,
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
Odisha’s efforts to
strengthen urban sanitation and scientific waste management received a major
boost with Bhubaneswar and Puri being selected among 50 cities across the
country under the PRAGATI 50 Initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs (MoHUA).
Launched under the
Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0), the initiative seeks to transform
the selected cities into Model Sanitation Cities through focused monitoring,
structured handholding and accelerated implementation of measures covering
solid waste management, used water management, sanitation, cleanliness and
citizen participation.
The 50 cities have
been selected from 24 states and Union Territories and are expected to serve as
models of good practices that can be replicated by other urban centres across
the country.
The virtual national
launch of the initiative was held on Monday under the chairmanship of Union
Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, during which he
interacted with Odisha Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra
Mahapatra.
Additional Chief
Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Usha Padhee, also
participated in the virtual meeting.
During the
interaction, Mahapatra highlighted Odisha’s ongoing initiatives aimed at
converting waste into value, including the establishment of Compressed Bio-Gas
(CBG) plants in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri with support from Oil India under
its CSR initiatives.
He also said
waste-to-charcoal initiatives were being pursued in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack as
part of the state’s efforts to promote innovative and sustainable waste
management solutions.
Mahapatra reaffirmed
the state government’s commitment to implementing the PRAGATI 50 initiative in
close coordination with MoHUA and the concerned Urban Local Bodies, in
accordance with the guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures prescribed by
the ministry.
The selection of
Bhubaneswar and Puri assumes significance as the two cities occupy an important
place in Odisha’s urban landscape, with Bhubaneswar serving as the state
capital and Puri being a major cultural and religious destination that attracts
a large number of visitors.
Officials said the initiative
would provide an opportunity to further strengthen sanitation infrastructure
and systems, improve scientific waste management and enhance citizen
participation in both cities.
The Housing and Urban
Development Department, in coordination with the Bhubaneswar Municipal
Corporation, Puri Municipal Corporation and SBM-U teams, will undertake focused
interventions and monitor progress against defined Key Performance Indicators
(KPIs).
Through PRAGATI 50,
Odisha aims to consolidate its efforts towards cleaner and more sustainable
cities while developing replicable sanitation and waste management practices
that can be adopted by other urban centres, officials said.
