Odisha Advances ₹5,000-Crore BKPPER Project, Reviews Roadmap for ADB Funding

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Monday took a key step towards the implementation of the proposed Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip City Economic Region (BKPPER) project by reviewing its detailed proposal and financing plan, with the ambitious ₹5,000-crore initiative set to be taken up under an Externally Aided Project (EAP).

The proposal came up for discussion at a meeting of the State Level Project Monitoring Committee (SLPMC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anu Garg. The committee examined the Project Proposal Report (PPR) and discussed the next course of action after the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip region was selected as one of the four pilot economic regions under the Centre’s City Economic Region (CER) scheme.

Officials informed the meeting that the project is estimated to cost ₹5,000 crore, with ₹3,500 crore proposed to be financed through an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan. The remaining ₹1,500 crore is expected to be supported by the Central government under the CER scheme.

The proposed economic region will span 19 urban local bodies across Khordha, Cuttack, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts. It is designed to create an integrated urban and economic corridor that promotes industrial development, tourism, logistics, port-led growth, investment, innovation and employment.

Chief Secretary Garg said the project would be instrumental in achieving the state’s long-term development goals under Odisha Vision-2036 and Vision-2047.

The proposal includes a range of infrastructure and urban development initiatives, including an integrated regional transport system, climate-resilient urban infrastructure, multimodal transport hubs, expansion of public transport, housing for the working population, development of the proposed Bhubaneswar New City, urban redevelopment, riverfront and waterbody rejuvenation, promotion of port-based industries, and the establishment of knowledge and healthcare hubs.

The committee also discussed the project’s approval process. After obtaining state-level clearance, the proposal will be submitted through the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) portal under the Union Ministry of Finance for appraisal and approval as an externally aided project.

The meeting was attended by Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Housing and Urban Development Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee, Finance Principal Secretary Sanjeev Kumar Mishra, Director of Municipal Administration Arindam Dakua, and senior officials from various departments.