Bhubaneswar, Nov 21: A high-level delegation from the World Bank visited Bhubaneswar on Friday to closely observe and understand the progress of Odisha’s flagship urban development initiatives under the Housing & Urban Development Department, officials said.

World Bank Delegation Visits Odisha’s Urban Flagship Initiatives

A senior #WorldBank team visited Bhubaneswar today to understand Odisha’s progress in urban development. Smt. Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, H&UD Department, presented the State’s roadmap covering 24×7… pic.twitter.com/sQDlyuACE5

— H & UD Dept (@HUDDeptOdisha) November 21, 2025

The delegation was received by Housing & Urban Development Department Principal Secretary Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, who led an elaborate presentation on Odisha’s Urbanisation & Development Road Map, highlighting progress across water supply, sanitation, urban mobility, affordable housing, and citizen-centric governance models.

The visiting team included Johannes Zutt (Regional Vice President), Imad Fakhoury (Director), Keiko Inoue (South Asia Practice Manager, Education), Aparnaa Somanathan (South Asia Practice Manager, Health & Social Protection), Soumya Kapoor Mehta (Senior Economist) and Kritika Singh (Country Management Team).

During the interaction at Kharavel Bhawan, the delegation engaged with senior officers of the Department and acknowledged Odisha’s data-driven and outcome-oriented approach to urban reforms.

On-site visits were conducted to Palasuni, where the delegation witnessed innovative sanitation initiatives such as the 150-TPD Material Recovery Facility, coconut-waste recycling, and community-led waste management. They also engaged with Swachh Karmis and women self-help groups, recognising the critical role of community participation in sustainable environmental practices.

Further, the team dialogued with beneficiaries of the Affordable Housing project at Nilamadhab Niwas, who shared personal stories of improved living conditions and enhanced livelihood prospects post-relocation.

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Odisha’s pioneering 24×7 Drink-From-Tap water supply, accessible public transport through CRUT, last-mile connectivity via Odisha Yatri e-rides, and digital service delivery via SUJOG received special mention. The GARIMA framework ensuring safety and dignity for sanitation workers was also highly praised.

The World Bank delegation lauded Odisha’s emphasis on scale, inclusiveness, and measurable social impact. Prospects for future deeper collaboration in urban resilience, sanitation, affordable housing, institutional capacity building, and governance-centric service delivery were firmly acknowledged. The visit culminated with a mutual commitment to foster sustainable and inclusive urban development in Odisha.