- Odisha approves $157.3 million tourism land bank scheme.
- Around 5,500 acres to be developed across tourism destinations.
- Waterfront Development Scheme gets $52.4 million outlay.
Odisha’s government considered 10 proposals across five departments. The first scheme sets up the Tourism Land Bank under the state's Department of Tourism, according to PTI. The exercise will be carried out over five years from financial year 2026-27 to financial year 2030-31. Annual outlay is $31.45 million, adding up to $157.3 million in total.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
“The proposed land bank will enable destination-level master planning and provide investors infrastructure-ready land, reducing project gestation time and improving ease of doing business," Anu Garg, state chief secretary told PTI. “It is expected to attract investments in hotels, resorts, convention centres, eco-tourism and wellness retreats and other recreational facilities.”
The Waterfront Development Scheme includes $52.4 million over five years. It focuses on riverfronts and urban water bodies across select cities, with the aim of turning them into accessible, ecologically sound public spaces. The scheme is designed to restore the natural character of these areas while making them more usable for residents, tourists and local communities.
Around 5,500 acres across major tourism destinations, including both government and private land parcels, will be identified and prepared for investment. The sites covered include Chilika, Konark, Puri, Dhauli, Hirakud, Satkosia, Similipal, Bhitarkanika, Daringbadi, Deomali, the Buddhist Circuit, Jiranga, Talsari and Tampara-Aryapalli, among others. These span a wide range of tourism types, from wildlife and coastal destinations to heritage sites and spiritual tourism hubs, reflecting the diversity of why Odisha draws visitors.
Earlier this year, Odisha approved 55 hotel and accommodation projects worth about $390 million, which are expected to add over 3,800 rooms and boost tourism infrastructure across the state.
