Bhubaneswar: The state government has expedited the process for the creation of 20 new Notified Area Councils (NACs) in Odisha.

The Urban Development Department has already received the recommendations from the district administrations for the creation of 20 new NACs in the state.

“We have forwarded the recommendations for creation of new NACs to the Panchayati Raj Department and sought its opinions in this regard,” said Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra today.

After receiving the opinions of the Panchayati Raj Department, the H&UD Department will send a proposal for creation of the new NACs to the Chief Minister. The government will create 20 new NACs after receiving the required approval from the Chief Minister, he added.

The H&UD Department had earlier sought recommendations from the district collectors for creation of new NACs in the state.

“At present, Odisha has 17 per cent urban areas. The state government is making efforts to raise it to 30 per cent by creating new NACs and municipalities in the state,” said the Minister.