Bhubaneswar: The 3rd Meeting of the Empowered Committee on Asset Management of Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) was held today at Kharavela Bhawan, chaired by Principal Secretary Usha Padhee. With the Smart Cities Mission formally closing on March 31, 2025, the committee discussed strategies for managing and maintaining the extensive infrastructure and urban assets created under the mission.
The meeting focused on ensuring the long-term sustainability of smart city assets, exploring revenue generation models, and optimising functionality. Key discussions included sharing user fees from public assets, monetising unused spaces, and sustainable financing mechanisms.
The committee acknowledged the financial strain on BSCL due to recurring expenses and emphasised the need for inter-agency coordination, innovative financing, and efficient governance. The meeting’s outcomes will form the basis for a comprehensive asset management roadmap for BSCL.
The committee’s efforts aim to make BSCL a replicable model for other Odisha cities. Senior officials from various departments, including Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and Nandankanan Zoological Park, attended the meeting.
Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Commissioner, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation , S. Debadutta Singh, Commissioner of Police, Cuttack-Bhubaneswar , Manoj V. Nayar, Director, Nandankanan Zoological Park , Dharanidhar Nanda , Special Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Gurucharan Das, Managing Director, WATCO , Purandar Nanda, General Manager, BSCL , representative of Tourism dept and other senior officers attended the meeting.
The Empowered Committee emphasised the need for strong inter-agency coordination, innovative financing mechanisms, and efficient governance to safeguard and maximise the value of assets created under the Smart Cities Mission. The outcomes of today’s meeting will serve as the foundation for drafting a comprehensive asset management roadmap for BSCL in the coming months.
