Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Housing Board (OSHB) is gearing up for a major expansion of affordable housing initiatives across the state, with plans to extend its footprint to all district headquarters while accelerating the implementation of several large residential projects currently underway.
The roadmap was reviewed at a high-level meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Usha Padhee, who emphasized the need for a focused and time-bound strategy to meet the growing housing demand of urban residents, particularly economically weaker and lower-income families.
During the review, Special Secretary of the Housing & Urban Development Department-cum-Managing Director of OSHB, Gangadhar Nayak, presented the Board’s achievements and future plans. He informed that OSHB has developed 32,343 housing units, commercial shops and residential plots across 21 districts of Odisha, catering to beneficiaries from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Lower Income Groups (LIG), Middle Income Groups (MIG) and Higher Income Groups (HIG). Of these, more than 20,000 units have been developed in Khordha district.
The meeting reviewed five major ongoing projects involving an investment of over ₹517 crore and comprising 1,484 housing units. Among them, the Kharavela Enclave project at Jagamara in Bhubaneswar, consisting of 104 HIG apartments, has entered the handover stage, with 30 apartments already delivered to allottees.
Progress of the Anugul Enclave Housing Project was also assessed. Developed at a cost of ₹164.55 crore, the project will provide 613 dwelling units. Construction of 228 units has been completed, with possession expected by December 2026, while the remaining units are scheduled for completion by December 2027.
Similarly, the Subhadra Enclave project at Dumduma is progressing as planned. The project, with an investment of ₹73.40 crore, will provide 198 housing units targeted primarily at EWS, LIG and MIG beneficiaries. The Vasudev Vihar plotted development scheme at Andharua, comprising 206 residential plots, is expected to begin handing over possession from July 2026.
The Board also reviewed the Gadakana Housing Project in Bhubaneswar, which is being developed at a cost of ₹189.29 crore. The project will offer 363 residential units along with commercial spaces and is proposed to be launched in July 2026 after securing statutory approvals and ORERA registration.
Financially, OSHB has strengthened its position considerably. Officials informed that the Board has become a debt-free organisation and recorded a surplus of ₹18.40 crore during 2024-25, followed by a provisional surplus of ₹25.50 crore in 2025-26. The Board’s available fund position stood at ₹37.42 crore as of March 31, 2026.
The review also focused on four major projects proposed for 2026-27, which together are expected to create nearly 6,877 housing units. These include the Suango PPP Project near AIIMS Bhubaneswar, the Ranasinghpur EPC Housing Project, the Patrapada Housing Project and the Basanti Colony Residential Apartment Project at Rourkela.
A key agenda of the meeting was OSHB’s proposal to expand housing development activities to all district headquarters in Odisha. The Board has already approached district administrations for the allotment of suitable government land to facilitate affordable and social housing projects in different urban centres.
Padhee directed the Board to prepare a comprehensive expansion strategy identifying land availability, project implementation models and beneficiary categories. She stressed that social housing must remain at the core of OSHB’s future activities to address the housing needs of vulnerable urban populations.
The meeting also reviewed issues related to land management, freehold conversion, encroachment removal, external infrastructure support, road connectivity and statutory clearances. Necessary instructions were issued to ensure timely resolution of bottlenecks and smooth implementation of ongoing and upcoming projects.
Reiterating the State Government’s commitment to affordable and sustainable urban housing, Padhee called for faster project execution, transparent allotment processes and strict compliance with ORERA regulations to deliver quality housing to citizens across Odisha.
