Odisha: Government launches ‘Ankur’ for inclusive and sustainable urbanization
Odisha : The state Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UD) on Wednesday launched Ankur – Atal Network for Knowledge, Urbanisation and Reforms, a strategic initiative designed to accelerate inclusive, sustainable and innovative urban development across the state.
The department in an official statement described the launch of the initiative as a landmark step towards redefining the future of urban development in Odisha.
The H&UD department has signed MoUs with six leading institutions and organisations working in the urban development ecosystem.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Krishna Chandra Mohapatra, who attended the event as the chief guest, said “Ankur” represents the collective promise of building efficient, smart and above all citizen-centric cities.
It is a movement towards a ‘developed Odisha’ co-authored by communities, institutions and the government.” Usha Padhy, principal secretary, Department of Human Resource and Development, also said that Ankur did not start in a moment but was a series of reflections, conversations and collaborations.
“It was born out of a growing realisation within our department that the pace and complexity of urbanisation in Odisha required new thinking, new partnerships and new platforms. Over the past year, through internal consultations and engagement with experts, practitioners and institutions across the country and beyond, a vision began to take shape. Ankur has emerged as an answer to those questions, a platform to co-create solutions, institutionalise innovation and sustain partnerships that can take us into the next decade of urban development,” Padhi said.
The department also pointed out that as Odisha’s urban population is projected to triple by 2036, Ankur is envisioned as a transformational platform to co-create resilient, liveable and future-ready cities.
Built on the values of collaborative governance, Ankur aligns with the national aspiration of ‘Developed India @2047’ while responding to Odisha’s unique socio-economic and urban context.
The department claimed that it will strengthen the four strategic pillars of urban development – capacity building, knowledge and research, implementation support and innovation.
