Bhubaneswar, June 11: The state government will prepare satellite map-based plans applying geographic information system (GIS) for 16 towns to ensure their overall development.

The selected towns to get the makeover include Bargarh, Rayagada, Koraput, Paralakhemundi, Deogarh, Anandpur, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Pattamundai, Jajpur town, Nabarangpur, Phulbani, Malkangiri, Joda, Basudevpur and Dhamra port town. An IT agency will do the job on behalf of the government.

Issues related to road infrastructure and drainage, in addition to other urban problems and their solutions, will be dealt with while preparing the master plans, sources said, adding that each town would have a specific area of development. The authorities will map about 900sqkm for the initiative.

Officials said that with implementation of the master plan, the selected towns would have proper land use, improved traffic and transportation, housing and slum improvement, public utilities, environmental improvement, improvement in education, research and other community facilities, plantation, heritage and tourism, management of the natural water bodies and so on.

"We have issued a request for proposal inviting expert agencies to take part in executing the job. The planning authorities of the towns concerned will provide the manual data on infrastructure and availability of land, which will be integrated while preparing the GIS map," said town planning director S. Mishra.