Indian government plans growth hubs in four cities

In a recent meeting, Manohar Lal Khattar, the Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, announced plans to transform four cities in Odisha: Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, and Khurda. These cities will become major growth hubs aimed at improving urban living. Khattar highlighted the proposal for a new city in the Greater Bhubaneswar area. Funding for this project will come from the 15th Finance Commission and the Urban Challenge Fund. The government also approved 400 electric buses for Odisha under the Pradhan Mantri e-Bus Sewa Scheme, promoting sustainable transportation. Support for the Bhubaneswar Metro project was also announced. In terms of housing, Bhubaneswar will be the first city to launch the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). There is a proposal for 50,000 new homes under PMAY-urban, which is currently under review. Khattar praised Odisha's achievements in urban development initiatives, such as AMRUT and Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0. He stressed the importance of quickly implementing the PM SVANidhi scheme to aid street vendors. Key officials, including Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo, presented on various urban activities at the meeting.