THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, OCTOBER 13, 2026

Reaffirming the State Government’s commitment to providing permanent homes to all sections of society with security and dignity, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday inaugurated two affordable housing projects comprising 1,608 dwelling units in Bhubaneswar. The projects — Nilakantheswar Niwas at Ghatikia and Mukteswar Residency at Gadakana — are aimed at enabling economically weaker families to own homes and lead dignified lives.

The Chief Minister also dedicated 12 modern sports grounds developed by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) in the city and its adjoining areas, while housewarming ceremonies were organised for 962 families at Buddhavihar, Nilamadhab, Subuddhipur and Shantipalli.

 “We want to build a Bhubaneswar where poor families can live with dignity, workers can access affordable housing, young people can develop their talents, and every citizen can lead a healthy and better life,” Majhi said while inaugurating the projects at Ghatikia.

The Mukteswar Residency project at Gadakana comprises 680 dwelling units constructed on more than six acres of land at an estimated cost of ₹95 crore. Nilakantheswar Niwas at Ghatikia consists of 928 housing units built on more than five acres at a cost of ₹66.48 crore. Together, the two projects provide 1,608 affordable homes, marking a significant step towards improving access to housing for economically weaker sections in the State capital.

Emphasising the importance of housing as a basic human necessity, the Chief Minister said that after food, a roof over one’s head was the most essential requirement for an individual.

He said the Union Government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was addressing the basic needs of poor families not merely by facilitating the construction of houses but also by providing essential amenities such as toilets, piped drinking water, electricity and cooking gas.

In Odisha, more than two lakh houses had been sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U), while the State Government planned to provide approximately five lakh houses through the Antyodaya Griha Yojana, Mr. Majhi said.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the government was committed to ensuring that every eligible family had access to secure housing and the essential facilities required to lead a healthy and dignified life.

The Chief Minister said the PMAY-Urban BANDHU initiative had been launched to provide affordable rental accommodation to migrant workers and low-income families in urban areas.

He laid the foundation stone for an affordable rental housing project at Gadakana under the initiative. The project is intended to enable workers to live close to their workplaces at affordable rents, reducing the financial burden and uncertainty associated with finding accommodation in the city.

Majhi also said housing loans had been extended to beneficiaries through banks and financial institutions to help them meet their respective contributions towards the cost of their allotted houses. The financial assistance would enable them to complete the required payments and eventually become homeowners.

At the inauguration programme, the Chief Minister personally allotted houses to eight beneficiaries from the two housing projects.

The beneficiaries of Nilakantheswar Niwas at Ghatikia were Laxmidhar Sethi, Naimuddin Khan, Ramachandra Sethi and Rasik Khandayatray. Those allotted houses at Mukteswar Residency at Gadakana were Nirmala Barik, Sasmita Patra, Rupa Sahu and Draupadi Devi.

He also personally distributed housing loan assistance to five residents of Buddhavihar. Tulasi Tiria and Durga Charan Singh received ₹1.20 lakh each, Rashmika Naik and Prafulla Maharana received ₹1.35 lakh each, and Sarbeswar Gaya received ₹1.25 lakh.

As part of the broader effort to improve urban infrastructure and the quality of life in Bhubaneswar, Majhi dedicated 12 modern sports grounds developed by the BDA in the city and its surrounding areas.

The facilities are intended to provide children with opportunities to develop their sporting abilities and promote physical fitness and well-being among senior citizens. The Chief Minister expressed hope that the initiatives would contribute to making Bhubaneswar a safe, inclusive and balanced city.

The sports grounds are located at Bajarangi, K-4, Kolathia, Tamando, Nakhara, the CBSE Regional Office, Jadupur, Damana High School, Unit-II Girls’ High School, Bhubaneswar Central Upper Primary School, Ghatikia, Unit-VIII Boys’ High School and Saheed Nagar High School.

The development of sports infrastructure alongside affordable housing, he said, reflected the need to create urban spaces that supported not only residential needs but also recreation, health and community well-being.

Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra said the new housing units would provide slum residents with a new identity by enabling them to move into proper homes with recognised addresses.

The Chief Minister envisioned providing all slum dwellers with decent and affordable housing so that their living conditions would no longer expose them to social stigma or discrimination, he said.

A permanent home and a proper address, Mahapatra added, would have a positive impact on residents’ educational opportunities and social standing, while helping them lead lives marked by greater security and dignity.

Ekamra-Bhubaneswar MLA Babu Singh said the aspirations of beneficiaries had been fulfilled within a relatively short period.

Owning a house in Bhubaneswar was a major dream for many people, particularly those from economically weaker sections, he said. A poor family securing a home in the State capital would naturally experience immense happiness, he added.

 “We did not need 24 years to fulfil this dream; 24 months were enough,” Singh said.

Khurda MLA Prasanta Jagadev said ensuring access to adequate food, housing and clothing was the government’s fundamental objective and described these as basic rights of every citizen.

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Mayor Sulochana Das termed the occasion a moment of great happiness for the city’s residents and described the housing initiative as a festive gift to the beneficiaries. The houses, she said, would pave the way for families to lead lives of dignity.

BDA Vice-Chairman and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Chanchal Rana delivered the welcome address, while BDA Secretary Manas Ranjan Padhi proposed the vote of thanks.