Suparjya swain 
Bhubaneswar: In a significant boost to Cuttack’s green energy and waste management infrastructure, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) and Oil India Limited (OIL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Friday, April 5, to establish a ₹150 crore compressed biogas (CBG) plant in Ward 59 of Jagatpur.
The agreement, formalized in the presence of Odisha’s Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, marks a major milestone in the city’s efforts to transform solid waste into sustainable energy, aligning with both environmental goals and economic upliftment.
Spanning across 11 acres, the state-of-the-art facility is expected to be completed within 22 months. Once operational, it will process 200 tonnes of segregated municipal solid waste daily, converting it into 10 to 15 tonnes of compressed biogas and organic manure. While Oil India Limited will be responsible for the design, funding, construction, and operational management of the plant, the CMC will ensure a steady supply of segregated waste.
The plant is projected to generate around 75 direct employment opportunities in technical, operational, and managerial capacities, contributing to local job creation. In addition to producing biogas for industrial and commercial use—thereby reducing reliance on fossil fuels—the facility’s organic manure by-product will benefit regional agriculture and further promote sustainable practices.
The development comes on the heels of the CMC’s accelerated efforts to tackle legacy waste, following a directive from the Orissa High Court in March 2024 banning dumping at the Gadagadia Ghat along the Mahanadi river. The Corporation has since cleared over 7,000 tonnes of accumulated waste, signaling a firm commitment to environmental responsibility and urban resilience.
The Cuttack project is part of a broader green energy initiative being rolled out across Odisha. In December 2024, Oil India signed a similar agreement with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation to build a 200 TPD (tonnes per day) plant, with plans to expand to 300 TPD in future phases. Similar projects are being planned in other key cities, including Puri, Sambalpur, Rourkela, and Berhampur.
As Odisha positions itself as a leader in clean energy and circular economy practices, the Jagatpur CBG plant stands out as a critical step toward achieving long-term sustainability goals—transforming waste into wealth while powering the future.
