1600 Crore 'Clean Odisha' scheme approved, urban cleanliness will get a boost

Bhubaneswar, October 10 (IANS). The Odisha Cabinet approved a new state sector scheme on Friday, chaired by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, called Swachh Odisha and awarded Rs 1,600 crore over five years (FY 2025-26 to FY 2029-30) to integrate and strengthen sanitation initiatives in the state. According to an official statement, “the launch of ‘SWACHH ODISHA’ aimed at simplifying the processes associated with the implementation, funding and monitoring of project by simplifying different sanitation initiatives into one integrated scheme. The scheme aims to bring existing sanitation initiatives – such as solid waste management, liquid waste management and urban septew systems – in an integrated framework. This integration is expected to improve efficiency by simplifying better coordination, implementing the implementation processes and ensuring smooth financing and monitoring operations. The Swachh Odisha initiative underlines the commitment of the state government to create clean and waste-free cities in the state. The purpose of the scheme is to empower the urban local bodies (ULBs) and to make complete improvement in all areas of urban sanitation. This scheme will further strengthen the Swachh Bharat mission and thus improve sanitation and hygiene outcomes in cities. Officials said this scheme will be implemented in phases, so that comprehensive and effective transformation can be brought into the urban areas of Odisha. In addition, 15 proposals from ten departments during the Odisha Cabinet meeting were approved by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday. It also includes ‘Odisha Public Trust Ordonance, 2025’. In another important decision, the Cabinet also approved a paper purchase scheme of Rs 163 crore to provide free textbooks to government students, and provide private schools for the academic session of 2026-27. –Is PSK shares this story tags