Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards addressing the rising demand for affordable urban housing, the Odisha government has unveiled a new housing scheme in Bhubaneswar, offering homes priced between ₹15 lakh and ₹50 lakh. Aimed primarily at the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Middle-Income Groups (MIG), the initiative promises to make homeownership more accessible for thousands of urban families struggling with escalating real estate costs.
Announcing the scheme, Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra said that the new housing units will be offered under multiple categories—MIG, LIG, LIG-I, and MIG-II—to cater to a wide spectrum of income groups. Allocation of these homes will be done through a lottery system to ensure transparency and fairness. Specific eligibility criteria are being drafted to ensure only deserving and genuine beneficiaries qualify for the scheme.
The homes will be developed on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar in the initial phase, with plans underway to expand the project to Cuttack in the near future. The state government aims to implement the project through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to accelerate construction and ensure long-term financial viability.
To streamline the execution and management of the scheme, the government will work closely with cooperative banks. These institutions will oversee the monitoring of housing units and facilitate EMI collection from allottees, ensuring ease of repayment and financial discipline.
In addition to promoting homeownership, Minister Mahapatra noted that the state is exploring the development of rental housing units to reduce the spread of slum settlements—many of which have proliferated due to the lack of affordable rental options in urban areas.
The Minister also emphasized the government’s renewed focus on the Town Planning (TP) scheme, which aims to deliver integrated urban infrastructure such as roads, drainage systems, sewage networks, and street lighting. While these upgrades are already underway in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, similar developments are being planned for Puri, ensuring a broader reach of planned urban development across the state.
