What is ANKUR? Odisha Govt Launches Initiative for Urban Development

Bhubaneswar, May 28 (NationPress) The Odisha state Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UD) has officially unveiled ANKUR – Atal Network for Knowledge, Urbanisation & Reform, a forward-thinking initiative aimed at promoting inclusive, sustainable, and innovative urban expansion throughout the state.

The department characterized the launch as a pivotal milestone in reshaping the trajectory of urban development in Odisha.

MoUs have been established with six prominent institutions and organizations that are integral to the urban development framework.

Attending the event as the Chief Guest, Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, the minister for Housing & Urban Development, remarked, “ANKUR embodies a collective commitment to create cities that are efficient, smart, and primarily, citizen-focused.

This initiative marks the beginning of a movement towards a ‘Viksit Odisha’, collaboratively crafted by communities, institutions, and the government.”

Furthermore, Usha Padhee, the Principal Secretary of the H&UD Department, remarked that the inception of ANKUR was not an isolated occasion but the result of numerous reflections, dialogues, and partnerships.

“It emerged from a rising awareness within our department that the rapid pace and intricacies of urbanisation in Odisha necessitated innovative thinking, new collaborations, and fresh platforms. Throughout the previous year, through internal discussions and engagement with experts, practitioners, and institutions from across the nation and beyond, a vision began to crystallize. ANKUR became a response to those inquiries, a platform for co-creating solutions, institutionalizing innovation, and fostering partnerships that can guide us through the forthcoming decade of urban development,” Padhee elaborated.

The department further emphasized that, with Odisha's urban populace expected to triple by 2036, ANKUR is conceived as a transformative platform to co-develop resilient, livable, and future-ready cities.

Rooted in the principles of collaborative governance, ANKUR aligns with the national objective of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’, while addressing Odisha’s distinct socio-economic and urban landscape.

The department asserted that it will bolster four strategic pillars of urban development - capacity building, knowledge and research, implementation support, and innovation.

According to the official statement, ANKUR is intended to function as the institutional backbone to propel reform, innovation, and evidence-based urban decision-making within the state.

This initiative is set to become the central hub of Odisha’s urban reform strategy. With a promise of decentralization, inclusivity, and knowledge-driven actions, the initiative aims to usher in a new era of urban collaborations, ensuring that no city, and no citizen, is overlooked.