Odisha govt forms 16 new NACs

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday announced the formation of 16 new notified area councils (NACs) as well as upgradation of seven existing NACs to municipalities. Majhi made this announcement while addressing a programme on the occasion of Local Self-Governance Day.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister asked the officers of the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to make their cities and towns pothole-free and cover all drains by April 2026. He asked the officers to submit self-certification announcing that all roads in their ULBs are pothole-free. The government will provide adequate funds for carrying out the necessary repair, maintenance and new construction works, he said.

The new NACs will be created at Loisingha in Bolangir district, Sohela in Bargarh district, Badamba, Narasinghpur and Salepur (Cuttack), Gondia (Dhenkanal), Jagannath Prasad and Patrapur (Ganjam), Chandikhol (Jajpur), Narla and Jaipatna (Kalahandi), Tangi (Khurda), Borigumma (Koraput), Kaptipada, Jashipur and Rasgovindpur (Mayurbhanj).

Bhanjanagar, Aska, Chhatrapur, Kabisuryanagar and Polasara NACs in Ganjam district, Karanjia NAC in Mayurbhanj and Boudh NAC will be upgraded to municipalities, he announced. The Housing and Urban Development department of the Odisha government had recently issued draft notification for constitution of 12 new NACs in seven districts across Odisha. The proposed NACs are Pallahara in Angul district, Birmaharajpur in Subarnapur district, Simulia, Basta in Balasore district, Betnoti, Bangiriposi, Chitrada in Mayurbhanj district, Bissam Cuttack in Rayagada district, Bamra, Rengali in Sambalpur district and Tihidi, Dhusuri in Bhadrak district.

The government had also earlier declared the upgradation of Puri Municipality into a municipal corporation. In total, 28 new NACs, seven municipalities and one municipal corporation will be formed in the State. These new ULBs will have all kinds of basic needs like, water supply, street light, power, roads, parks and amusement centres, Majhi said. In his August 15 speech, the Chief Minister had announced the formation of the new NACs.

Majhi also launched several urban development initiatives, including the expansion of the ‘Sahayog’ programme to all urban areas of the State. The scheme, initially implemented in 44 towns, aims to ensure delivery of government schemes to every citizen.

To strengthen the civic grievance redressal, he unveiled 24x7 toll-free helpline (1929) named ‘Sahar Saathi’ enabling citizens to register complaints, queries or suggestions without visiting municipal offices. The Chief Minister also launched the ‘National Common Mobility Card’ under the Centre’s ‘One Nation, One Card’ programme, enabling citizens to access multiple transport services across cities with a single card.