The city is set to have its first social equity centre at Kharavela Nagar that promises better life for urban poor.

Officials of the Bhuban-eswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) said that hunt was on for an agency that would manage the centre, which is in the final stage of completion. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation stone for the centre in May last year.

The centre will have a 200-bed rental-housing complex for construction workers. It will have an Aahaar Cheap Meal Centre and a night shelter too. “We have floated a tender to get an agency that would take care of the centre. It is one of the ambitious projects of smart city mission that seeks to provide quality accommodation to the urban poor,” said a smart city official.

The centre, which is a four-storeyed structure, will have the aahaar centre, along with a dining hall, on the ground floor. The ground floor will also have water ATM and public toilet facilities. The first, second and third floors will have dormitories, along with 12 family rooms.

Community space will be provided on each floor with terrace area, multi-purpose halls and play areas for children. The facilities aim at making the spaces interactive and lively for people staying at the complex.

“It is a great initiative to provide such a facility for the city’s urban poor. They are often deprived of various social rights, mainly quality shelter. I hope the social equity centre will give them an equal space,” said social worker Alok Kar.

Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said that besides focusing on children and elderly, the smart city proposal puts enough stress on the urban poor. “We are creating affordable houses and rental houses only for the well-being of the people,” he said. Sources said that smart city officials would complete the selection process for the agency that will run the centre by November. Plans are afoot to make the centre functional by January end.