Smt. Usha Padhee addresses the fourth plenary session of Vikash Manthan 1.0 under the Samruddha Odisha banner.
The Additional Chief Secretary for Housing & Urban Development highlights urban growth strategies. She notes Odisha urbanisation currently sits at approximately 17 per cent and calls for strategic increases.
Padhee shares insights from global city transformations. She promotes the move to integrated economic region models. Planners connect urban projects directly to long-term productivity and cluster advantages. The state readies the new Livable City Mission. This mission upgrades basic services, adds green public spaces, builds strong infrastructure, and improves citizen governance.
Teams invest in better mobility networks and unified infrastructure for efficient cities. A standout proposal features the BCPPER Economic Region. This initiative links Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, and Paradeep. It exploits coastal benefits, industries, ports, tourism spots, and urban synergies. The BCPPER Economic Region aims to deliver nearly one-third of Odisha’s GSDP soon.
Planners also create City Economic Zones in western and northern regions. They develop clusters at Rourkela for steel, Sambalpur for food processing, and Koraput for minerals. These zones attract investments, enhance services, and produce many new jobs for balanced progress. Padhee considers Odisha urbanisation a powerful economic tool.
It strengthens industries, grows services, sparks innovation, and creates employment. Strong policies and institutions back these urban investments. The session ends with firm government resolve. Leaders work to establish Odisha as a dynamic economy through smart planning and effective execution for shared prosperity.
