₹30,000 crore rural infrastructure boost: Odisha to build 50,000 km roads ahead of polls

In one of the biggest rural connectivity moves at the state level ahead of the upcoming local body elections, the Odisha Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, approved projects worth nearly Rs 30,000 crore. The ambitious package includes the development of approximately 50,000 km of rural roads and the construction of approximately 3,837 bridges and bridge-like structures.

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The cabinet approved a set of proposals aimed at strengthening last mile connectivity across the state under the Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana (MMSY).

Under MMSY – Connecting Missing Road Links (CMRL), the government has approved ₹ 1,917 crore for five years (2025-26 to 2029-30) to plug critical connectivity gaps between blocks, districts and neighboring states. The plan aims to build approximately 3,850 km of roads.

MMSY — Improvement of Existing R&D Pathways program received ₹ 5,750 crore for improvement of rural development pathways in the same five-year period. The initiative will cover approximately 17,500 kilometers and include the completion of ongoing projects.

In another component of MMSY, the Cabinet approved ₹4,000 crore for new road projects covering around 4,607 km between 2026-27 and 2030-31.

The largest road development proposal in terms of coverage is MMSY – Transferred Roads Improvement Program (TRIP), under which Rs 6,700 crore will be spent on improving around 25,500 km of roads in five years.

Focusing on difficult terrains, the MMSY — Connecting Disconnected Villages in Difficult Areas (CUVDA) scheme was approved with an outlay of ₹1,300 crore. It aims to build and improve approximately 1,150 km of roads, while completing 949 km of ongoing work in rugged and remote areas affected by left-wing extremism.

On the bridge front, the Cabinet approved the expansion of Setu Bandhan Yojana (SBY) at a significant outlay of ₹11,000 crore. The plan will facilitate the construction of 1,750 new bridges and the completion of 1,417 ongoing bridges.

Additionally, the Bridge-cum-Weir Scheme received approval with a budget of ₹600 crore, covering 508 new projects and completion of 162 ongoing works aimed at both connectivity and water conservation.

The large-scale infrastructure drive comes at a politically important time as Odisha is heading towards three-tier panchayat and urban local body elections early next year. While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party faces its first grassroots electoral test in power, the Biju Janata Dal is trying to maintain its dominance at the local level.