The Odisha government has officially upgraded Puri Municipality to a Municipal Corporation, effective Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
The Housing & Urban Development Department issued a formal notification following an earlier proposal by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on July 3, said the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on Wednesday.
The decision aims to address the growing needs of the coastal city of Puri, which, as the home of the world-renowned Jagannath Temple, manages thousands of influx of domestic and international pilgrims daily.
The transition is designed to accelerate large-scale infrastructure development and modernize civic services for residents, devotees, and visitors.
The demand for this upgrade had been a long-pending request of the residents of Puri. The issuance of the notification upgrading Puri Municipality to a Municipal Corporation has sparked widespread joy and celebration among the people of Puri and the surrounding areas.
As per the CMO, the new corporation status will pave the way for large-scale infrastructural development, better civic services, and the transformation of Puri into an expanded metropolitan region.
The proposed Puri Municipal Corporation will be created by including the city and the surrounding Gram Panchayats.
Earlier, the Odisha government had noted that around 7-8 Gram Panchayats from the Puri Sadar and Brahmagiri blocks will be integrated into the municipal corporation.
Alongside the notification for Puri, the government declared four other towns across the state as new Notified Area Councils (NACs). These include Loisingha in Balangir district, Chandikhole in Jajpur district, Jashipur in Mayurbhanj district, and Basta in Balasore district.
Additionally, the jurisdiction of the Berhampur Municipal Corporation has been expanded, as notified. This expansion was earlier announced by the Chief Minister during the Swayat Shasan Divas (Self-Governance Day) celebrations on August 31.
