Department achieves 94pc Timeline Adherence in Public Services

 

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, MAY 19, 2026

 “Citizen convenience remains the Government’s foremost priority and there will be zero tolerance towards unwarranted delays in service delivery,” asserted Odisha Housing & Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra while reviewing the implementation of the Odisha Right to Public Services (ORTPS) framework, as the Department reported an impressive 94 per cent adherence to legally mandated timelines across notified citizen services.

The high-level review meeting chaired by Dr. Mahapatra comprehensively assessed the operational efficiency and digital transformation initiatives undertaken by the Housing & Urban Development Department under the State Government’s citizen-centric governance vision, “Lokaseba Adhikar – Subidhare Sarakari Seba” (Right to Public Services – Government Services with Ease). The review highlighted significant progress in technology-enabled governance, with nearly 94 per cent of applications being approved and disposed of strictly within the prescribed Service Level Agreement (SLA) timelines.

The Department informed that 21 out of 30 notified ORTPS services are now fully operational online across Odisha through digital platforms such as SUJOG, SWACHHATA and dedicated grievance management systems. Another seven services are currently available online within the jurisdictions of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), while only two services continue to function in offline mode.

Further strengthening its digital governance ecosystem, the Department is also in the final stages of User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for seven dashboard services being developed through the Centre for Modernizing Government Initiative (CMGI), aimed at enhancing monitoring, accountability and real-time service tracking.

Data presented during the meeting revealed that between April 1, 2024 and April 27, 2026, the Department’s digital platforms received a total of 6,59,102 applications, reflecting growing public confidence in online civic service delivery systems. Of these, 6,05,960 applications were disposed of within the stipulated timelines, while 10,916 applications remain pending but are still within permissible limits.

Trade License services emerged as a benchmark in administrative efficiency, achieving a flawless 100 per cent on-time disposal rate for all 57,715 applications received without any pendency. Water & Sewerage Connections, which accounted for the highest citizen demand with 5,02,555 applications, achieved a remarkable 96 per cent on-time disposal rate. Sewerage Connections and Property Tax New Assessments also demonstrated strong compliance with 98 per cent and 96 per cent timeline adherence respectively.

Property Tax Ownership Transfers registered a 76 per cent disposal rate within stipulated timelines, while Marriage Certificates recorded 53 per cent approvals within the prescribed period and 46 per cent beyond the notified timeline.

The meeting also reviewed the performance of the Online Building Plan Approval System (OBPAS) and associated urban development permissions. While the system has substantially digitized technical scrutiny processes, the Department acknowledged the need for faster disposal in certain categories where compliance levels remain comparatively low.

Building Plan Approvals for Low-Risk Buildings recorded a 41 per cent on-time approval rate out of 15,984 applications, while approvals for non-low-risk categories stood at 31 per cent out of 3,571 applications. Addition and Alteration permissions registered 40 per cent and 37 per cent timeline adherence for low-risk and other categories respectively, while Occupancy Certificates recorded a 23 per cent on-time approval rate.

Directing officials to intensify efforts for timely disposal, Dr. Mahapatra instructed all Urban Local Bodies, Development Authorities and field-level functionaries to immediately identify and resolve bottlenecks responsible for pendency and ensure strict compliance with notified service timelines.

The Department informed that 23,740 applications have been disposed of beyond the prescribed timelines, while 16,705 applications remain overdue. A significant portion of the backlog pertains to Water & Sewerage Connections with 9,082 delayed applications, followed by Low-Risk Building Plan Approvals with 2,786 pending cases and Building Plans under other categories with 1,261 pending applications.

Speaking during the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Usha Padhee said, “The Department is continuously leveraging digital governance tools to simplify citizen services, improve transparency and enhance accountability at every level. Our focus is not merely on faster disposal of applications, but on building a responsive, technology-driven and citizen-first urban governance ecosystem across Odisha.”

Reaffirming its long-term commitment to digital civic administration, the Housing & Urban Development Department stated that it will continue strengthening technology platforms, improving service efficiency and ensuring transparent, accountable and citizen-centric urban governance across the State.