The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approved a budget of Rs 1,050 crore for the fiscal year 2026-27, marking an increase from the previous year's allocation and placing strong emphasis on enhancing public infrastructure and sanitation services.

The budget was passed during a special session on Wednesday, chaired by Mayor Sulochana Das. It represents a rise of approximately Rs 37 crore over the 2025-26 outlay of Rs 1,013 crore, or Rs 49 crore more according to some reports, reflecting the civic body's commitment to addressing growing urban demands in Odisha's capital city. Revenue projections include Rs 300 crore from the BMC's own sources and Rs 750 crore from government grants, though officials noted the need for a 12.65 per cent annual growth in own income to secure full grant eligibility under new conditions.

A key priority in the budget is sanitation, with allocations of around Rs 200 crore dedicated to this sector, including waste management improvements and the animal birth control (ABC) programme receiving Rs 12 crore. Additionally, Rs 182 crore has been provisioned for general sanitation efforts, while Rs 24.61 crore is earmarked for bio-mining of legacy waste dumpsites. These measures aim to build on previous initiatives, such as modernizing waste collection, establishing wealth centres for composting, and ensuring sustainable handling of municipal solid waste.

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Infrastructure development receives substantial attention, with Rs 400 crore allocated for planned and non-planned projects encompassing roads, drainage systems, beautification, and related civic works. Lighting and electrification initiatives have been granted Rs 40 crore. The budget is designed to support comprehensive developmental activities that promote a clean, green, beautiful, and environment-friendly Bhubaneswar, aligning with the city's vision of becoming a healthy and prosperous urban center.

Mayor Das described the budget as people-oriented and comprehensive, geared toward establishing strong infrastructure while advancing cleanliness and sustainability goals. BMC officials have emphasized that the increased outlay will enable more effective execution of essential services amid rapid urbanization. Normal operations and project implementation are expected to proceed as planned, with the civic body urging continued public cooperation for maintaining cleanliness and infrastructure standards.

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