Odisha To Develop Rental Housing For EWS In Urban Areas

22 Jun 2026 CW Team

Migration to Bhubaneswar and other major urban centres, combined with difficulty finding suitable rented accommodation, has driven a rise in urban slums. The state capital alone has nearly 450 slums. The minister said the proposed rent control law together with the rental housing initiative under PMAY-U 2.0 will provide relief and help check slum expansion. Rental housing projects will be developed across urban areas to meet growing demand for affordable accommodation.

As part of the initiative, vacant buildings and structures will be identified and brought into the rental housing framework. Department sources said the state last month announced the A Roof for All initiative to provide housing coverage to 80 per cent of the urban population by 2036. The programme will adopt a structured three-tier approach for economically weaker sections, low-income groups and a rental housing model for migrant and floating populations. The initiative will begin in Rourkela and expand in phases.

To expedite implementation, district collectors have been directed to identify and allocate suitable land on priority so projects can commence without delay. Officials will co-ordinate with urban local bodies to fast-track approvals and integrate rental housing into existing EWS schemes. The combined legal and programme measures are intended to increase the supply of affordable rented homes and reduce pressure on informal settlements. The state expects that targeted delivery will improve living conditions and urban resilience.

The state government will develop rental housing within projects for economically weaker section households across urban centres to curb slum growth, Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra said. The initiative will be implemented under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) 2.0 (PMAY-U 2.0). The draft Urban Area Rent Control Act, 2026 is intended to encourage rental housing while protecting landlords and tenants from exploitation. The legislation aims to ensure affordable rental accommodation for those unable to secure city housing. Migration to Bhubaneswar and other major urban centres, combined with difficulty finding suitable rented accommodation, has driven a rise in urban slums. The state capital alone has nearly 450 slums. The minister said the proposed rent control law together with the rental housing initiative under PMAY-U 2.0 will provide relief and help check slum expansion. Rental housing projects will be developed across urban areas to meet growing demand for affordable accommodation. As part of the initiative, vacant buildings and structures will be identified and brought into the rental housing framework. Department sources said the state last month announced the A Roof for All initiative to provide housing coverage to 80 per cent of the urban population by 2036. The programme will adopt a structured three-tier approach for economically weaker sections, low-income groups and a rental housing model for migrant and floating populations. The initiative will begin in Rourkela and expand in phases. To expedite implementation, district collectors have been directed to identify and allocate suitable land on priority so projects can commence without delay. Officials will co-ordinate with urban local bodies to fast-track approvals and integrate rental housing into existing EWS schemes. The combined legal and programme measures are intended to increase the supply of affordable rented homes and reduce pressure on informal settlements. The state expects that targeted delivery will improve living conditions and urban resilience.

Infrastructure Transport

06 Aug 2026

Surya Roshni delivers customised lighting for NCRTC RRTS stations

Surya Roshni has supplied customised indoor lighting solutions for 18 elevated stations on the National Capital Region Transport Corporation's (NCRTC) Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS), strengthening its presence in India's infrastructure lighting segment.The project involved the design and deployment of lighting systems for platforms, concourses, foot overbridges (FOBs) and back-of-house (BOH) areas. According to the company, the luminaires were developed specifically to meet NCRTC's design, operational and performance requirements rather than using standard products.Surya introduced two custo..

Real Estate

06 Aug 2026

Hilton debuts Tapestry Collection brand in Vietnam

Hilton has opened NHAAN Resort & Spa Hoi An, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, marking the debut of the Tapestry Collection brand in Vietnam and expanding its lifestyle hospitality portfolio in Southeast Asia.Located along the Co Co River in Cam Thanh village, the 174-key resort provides access to Hoi An Ancient Town, Cua Dai Beach and the Cam Thanh Nipa Forest. The property has been designed by Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia, incorporating biophilic architecture, locally sourced materials and riverfront landscapes.The resort offers a mix of guest rooms and suites, including family-frien..

Building Material

06 Aug 2026

Electrent expands lithium energy storage system portfolio

Electrent Energy has expanded its lithium-based energy storage portfolio with the launch of the ESS 850 and ESS 1050, targeting compact and maintenance-free power backup solutions for Indian homes.The new systems integrate a Home UPS and a LiFePO4 lithium battery into a single unit, extending the company's product range following the launch of its ESS 1350 and ESS 2500 models.Designed for apartments and smaller homes, the ESS 850 provides up to 1 hour 15 minutes of backup, while the ESS 1050 offers up to 1 hour 45 minutes on a typical 400 W household load. The systems can power essential appli..