10 Trainee IAS Officers Visit Odisha Housing & Urban Development Department to Learn Urban Governance Practices
As part of their orientation programme, ten IAS officer trainees from the 2024 batch, recently allocated to the Odisha cadre, visited the state’s Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department to gain practical insights into urban governance, planning, and policy execution.
The officers were received by Principal Secretary Ms. Usha Padhee (IAS, 1996 batch), alongside Mr. Arindam Dakua (IAS, 2011 batch), Director of Municipal Administration, and Mr. Debasis Singh, Special Secretary. The visit served as a deep-dive into Odisha’s urban development model, emphasizing sustainability, innovation, and citizen-centric governance.
During the interaction, Ms. Padhee shed light on the state’s transformative urban initiatives and encouraged the officers to adopt fresh, inclusive, and forward-thinking approaches to policy design. She emphasized the critical role of young officers in shaping sustainable and equitable cities.
A highlight of the session was the presentation on the Viksit Odisha@2036 vision, which outlines an integrated roadmap for inclusive urban growth. Trainees explored the state’s digital service delivery mechanisms, engaged in discussions on data-driven planning, community participation, and ground-level policy execution.
The session concluded with an open dialogue, where the trainees expressed appreciation for Odisha’s proactive and progressive urban strategies. Their participation in such experiential learning initiatives is expected to enhance their ability to lead transformative changes in the urban landscape of Odisha in the years ahead.
