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Odisha State Housing Board, the Government of Odisha sponsored residential and commercial construction entity has been urged by Grey Odisha to enter Retirement Homes segment for benefit of elderly population.

A concept paper on development and marketing of hybrid model of Retirement Homes at Bhubaneswar has been submitted to the Housing Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department last December 2021. The paper presents a comprehensive picture of Retirement Homes industry in the country, its history and emerging trends.

Retirement Homes as age-friendly residencies to avail long term health-care during end-of-the-life period has turned to be a reality for upward mobile middle class elderly couples of the state. However popularization of the concept may not be possible in the tradition-bound Odia society for next decade or so. In such a juncture, hybrid model of Retirement Homes as serviced apartments in busy locations of the state capital may attract senior citizens as ready buyers, specially living outside the city limits.

Since, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack have been developed as health-care hub and the entire state solely depend upon twain cities for such facilities, the proposed serviced studio apartments can be suitably utilized as camp residencies for senior citizens repeatedly visiting the city to attend appointments with health-care providers.

The paper emphasises to experiment such projects in the busy locations of the state capital as the elderly will insist on purchase of additional properties equipped with easy proximity to market, entertainment and cultural engagement apart from multiple hospital and health-care service facilities. Growth of Retirement Homes in downtown London in post-Covid scenario has been illustrated as an example.

Copies of the paper have been forwarded to the Chief Minister’s Office, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Social Security, Hon. Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly and a few other influential officials of the state government.

The Concept Paper will also serve as a guide to private builders, those who are interested to enter Retirement Homes industry.

Full text of the paper is available in the Resource section of the website.

Those who support such an initiative are requested to exercise personal ability and influence to popularize the concept among opinion leaders, government functionaries, start-up and real estate entrepreneurs. Please communicate comments and suggestions in the Contact section of the website.

Government of Odisha revealed its plan in the monsoon session 2022 of state legislative assembly to raze 410 old government quarters in Unit–2 at Bhubaneswar and redevelop in Public–Private–Participation mode.

Replying to a question made by Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Chief Minister Nabeen Patnaik also mentioned in a written reply about redevelopment plans at Unit–3 and Unit–6 by demolishing old, unsafe government quarters. The government policy seems to be focused on vertical growth of residential properties in the metropolitan area.

Unit-2 is centrally situated busy locality of the state capital. It can be a suitable place for building retirement colonies, care homes or ‘hybrid model of serviced studio apartments for super-seniors’, a concept promoted by Grey Odisha.

The Convenor of the think-tank Grey Odisha wrote an explainer on role of elder-friendly residencies to encourage practice of independent ageing in Odisha. It was published in Odia daily The Samaja in its special supplement page on the occasion of 75th Independence Day celebration, edition dated August 15, 2022.

The article advocated for policy formulation in the government level for promotion of elder-friendly residencies to enable the elderly of the state, about 10 percent of total population, to access multiple health-care services offered at the twain-city Bhubaneswar-Cuttack that has been developed as the medical-hub for the entire state.

A portion of vacant land available after razing government quarters can be ear-marked for elder-friendly residencies. The state agency, Odisha State Housing Board can negotiate with government to procure land in Unit-2 on preferential basis to re-develop in ‘hybrid model of serviced studio apartments for super-seniors’ living outside the state capital to use as ‘camp residencies’. The reality can be build and sold in market terms.

Copies of English translation of the original article in Odia (available in Resources section) was circulated among stakeholders on housing in Government of Odisha and functionaries of Life Insurance Corporation of India Care Home project during last week of August 2022. 

‘Grey Odisha’ submitted a proposal on Hybrid Model of Retirement Homes in Bhubaneswar to OSHB during December 2021 along with follow-ups. The Founder received a letter in July 2023 with the following communication from the Secretary OSHB:

“Hybrid Model of Retirement Homes on Bhubaneswar

In inviting a reference to your letter dated 24.08.2022, I would like to inform you that, OSHB has not received any Govt. directions on redevelopment of Unit-2 area on PPP mode in Bhubaneswar.”