The Housing and Urban Development Department organised a high-level session at Kharavela Bhawan to emphasise the importance of strategic urban land management in Odisha’s vision of a Viksit Odisha.
Additional Chief Secretary and IDCO Chairperson Usha Padhee said that informed land management is central to building sustainable, future-ready cities. She stressed the need to understand land categories, regulatory frameworks, and innovative mechanisms like land value capture to maximise the potential of urban land assets.
Former IAS officer Hari Ballav Mishra delivered a detailed presentation, drawing on his administrative experience to explain evolving legal, administrative, and policy aspects of land management. He highlighted clarity in legacy classifications and the importance of adapting policy frameworks to modern urban challenges.
The session discussed key land categories in Odisha, including Nazul, Khasmahal, Government Khas Possession (GKPB), and leasehold cases. Officials emphasised their optimal utilisation in the context of rapid urbanisation.
Director of Municipal Administration Arindam Dakua, Additional Secretaries, Collectors, Municipal Commissioners, and officers from the Revenue and GA Departments participated in the session both physically and virtually.
Deliberations underscored land value capture as a sustainable financing tool for urban infrastructure. Discussions focused on leveraging land resources for planned growth and improved service delivery.
