Bhubaneswar: A two-day orientation programme for district-level Master Trainers on key urban initiatives commenced today at the SUDA Conference Hall in Bhubaneswar. The event was formally inaugurated by Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department.
Delivering the keynote address, Padhee underscored the need for a transformative approach to urban governance. “To achieve Viksit Odisha @2036 and contribute to the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, we must move beyond conventional thinking,” she said. “A progressive, planning-driven, and innovation-oriented mindset is essential. Our urban systems must be rooted in innovation, inclusivity, and future-readiness.”
Padhee urged participants to actively engage with key urban missions such as the Mukhyamantri Sahari Bikash Yojana (MSBY), Shahajog and Ankur. “Urban programmes should not be seen merely as government schemes, but as commitments to improve the daily lives of citizens. Responsive and proactive implementation is the key,” she added.
The orientation programme featured thematic sessions by senior officials, including Arindam Dakua, Director, Municipal Administration; Gangadhar Naik, Special Secretary; Satrughna Kar, Additional Secretary; Sikha Biswal, Financial Advisor; Saroj Kumar Das, Joint Secretary; Bilas Behera, Engineer-in-Chief; and Gurucharan Das, Managing Director, WATCO.
The sessions covered core focus areas such as Housing for All, Liveable Cities, Urban Sanitation, Water Supply Systems, Urban Planning, Good Governance, and E-Governance.
Welcoming the participants, Rabindra Kumar Sahu, Additional Secretary and Project Director, SUDA, outlined the programme’s objectives. He highlighted the critical role of Master Trainers in disseminating knowledge and building institutional capacity across districts and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
PD DUDAs, Executive Officers of ULBs, and other key officials participated in the programme, which aims to strengthen urban governance at the grassroots and enable effective, citizen-centric delivery of urban services across Odisha.
