The Housing & Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha, convened the Odisha Urban Conclave 2026 today at the Convention Centre Auditorium, Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, as a comprehensive Review-cum-Orientation programme for Urban Local Bodies across the State. The conclave brought together senior officials, municipal functionaries, urban planners, technical experts and other stakeholders to review the progress of urban development initiatives and deliberate on strategies for efficient, sustainable and citizen-centric urban governance. Additional Chief Secretary, H&UD Department, Usha Padhee, delivered the welcome address and set the context for the conclave, outlining the broader vision and priorities for transforming Odisha’s urban landscape. She emphasized the need for stronger institutional capacity, improved municipal performance, effective financial management, and outcome-oriented implementation of urban development programmes. The morning technical sessions focused on budget and financial management, revenue augmentation, expenditure analysis and performance improvement of Urban Local Bodies, including dedicated reviews of low-performing ULBs. The deliberations sought to strengthen municipal finances and enhance the efficiency, accountability, and quality of service delivery at the grassroots level. Detailed discussions were also held on urban planning and infrastructure development, covering the Standard Operating Procedures for Town Planning Schemes, the Samruddha Sahar framework, the Urban Challenge Fund, planned development of Tier-II and Tier-III cities, the Mukhyamantri Sahari Bikas Yojana, pedestrian-friendly roads and the Rural-Urban Transition Policy. The sessions underscored the importance of integrated planning and infrastructure development to ensure that urban growth remains inclusive, resilient and sustainable. The conclave also reviewed the progress of several citizen-centric welfare programmes, including PM SVANidhi, Shelters for Urban Homeless, Sahajog, Sahajog Plus and the Aahaar scheme, with emphasis on effective implementation and improved outreach to intended beneficiaries. Addressing the conclave, Minister for Housing & Urban Development, Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, reiterated the Government’s commitment to sustainable urban transformation, citizen-centric services and planned infrastructure growth.