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Synopsis Housing being one of the prioritized basic minimum needs which comes in scale of preferences after food and clothing, has a profound and determining effect on the socio-economic and physio-psychological development of human beings. The necessity and importance of housing has been felt by the human beings, right from the very own of human civilization. Each and every one, rich or poor whether he resides in rural or urban areas needs a house of his own to protect his life and property and also to promote his family well being. Housing is therefore, accepted as a key sector of the national economy which measures the standard of living and economic condition of a country. The problem of housing is universal. But it is much more acute in a developing country like India. despite quantitative increase in housing over successive plan periods, the housing situation in India continues to be daunting and deplorable. The imbalance between demand and supply in housing has been a matter of deep concern both for the Govt. as well as for the planners of India. Oirssa, as the poorest state in India on the basis of below poverty line, is predominantly rural in character since more than 87 per cent of its population lives in rural areas and 48.1 per cent of its rural population has remained under BPL according to Population census, 1999-2000. The housing condition of Orissa is also very much disappointing. The gap between demand and supply in housing has been widening years after years. The National Housing Bank has estimated that by 1991, the shortage of housing in Orissa would be 102 million units and by turn of the century it would be 1041 million units. The present study deals with “Rural Housing Finance”. The Role of Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd, in which an attempt has been made to evaluate the operational performance of HUDCO in Rural Housing sector in India with special reference to Orissa vis-?-vis in other states.