Monjita Sarkar 
SEBI is set to strengthen its presence in Odisha with plans to open a branch office in Bhubaneswar, announced Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey during a regional investor awareness programme organised by the Association of Mutual Funds in India.
The office is set to operate on a smaller scale with responsibilities gradually shifting from SEBI’s Mumbai and Kolkata offices. A permanent office of SEBI in Bhubaneswar is also in the bigger picture.
While addressing the programme, Pandey highlighted the increasing importance of municipal bonds in funding urban infrastructure. He encouraged Odisha to proactively leverage this financing mechanism. Currently 22 urban local bodies across the country have collectively mobilized approximately ₹4,500 crore through 33 municipal bond issuances.
He further highlighted the remarkable growth of India’s mutual fund sector and capital markets. The nation’s mutual fund industry has expanded to roughly ₹82 lakh crore in assets, yet Odisha’s share remains at around ₹71,000 crore — a contribution he argued should be proportionate to the state’s broader economic weight in the country.
India’s capital markets have similarly undergone transformative growth over the past decade, with total market capitalisation reaching ₹463 lakh crore and retail investor participation surging considerably. In 2025-26 alone, 366 IPOs hit the market, enabling companies to collectively raise nearly ₹1.9 lakh crore — cementing India’s position as the world’s top destination for IPO activity.
