Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has invited formal proposals for the formation of new districts during the 2026–27 financial year, Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari informed the Assembly on Thursday. The announcement signals the possibility of another phase of administrative restructuring in the state, three decades after the last major reorganisation.
Replying to a query in the House, Pujari said the government would take appropriate steps after receiving and examining formal proposals for the creation of new districts. He stated that the state has so far received 31 proposals seeking district status from various regions. These petitions are currently under consideration and decisions will be taken at an appropriate time following due administrative evaluation.
Odisha’s administrative map has undergone several changes since the state was formed on April 1, 1936. At the time of its formation as a separate province, Odisha had only six districts—Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Sambalpur, Koraput and Ganjam. Over time, the number increased to 13 with the creation of seven additional districts including Balangir, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Kalahandi, Mayurbhanj, Phulbani and Sundargarh.
A major restructuring took place in 1993 when the government led by former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik created 17 new districts, raising the total to 30. Since then, the number has remained unchanged.
The fresh invitation for proposals indicates that the government is open to reviewing long-pending demands for district status from different parts of the state, with a view to improving administrative efficiency and decentralised governance. However, no specific timeline has been announced for a final decision on the proposals.
