Bhubaneswar: In a landmark step towards redefining the future of urban development in Odisha, the Housing & Urban Development Department Wednesday launched ANKUR – Atal Network for Knowledge, Urbanization & Reform, a strategic initiative designed to catalyze inclusive, sustainable, and innovative urban growth across the state. MoUs were signed between the department and six leading institutions and organizations working in the urban development ecosystem.
Odisha H&UD minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, said, “ANKUR represents a collective promise — to build cities that are efficient, smart, and above all, citizen-centric. This is a movement towards a Viksit Odisha, co-authored by communities, institutions, and government alike.”
Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, H&UD, said, “The genesis of ANKUR was not a single moment, but rather a series of reflections, conversations, and collaborations. It was born from a growing realization within our department — that the pace and complexity of urbanization in Odisha required new thinking, new partnerships, and new platforms.Over the past year, through internal consultations and engagements with experts, practitioners, and institutions across the country and beyond, a vision began to take shape . ANKUR emerged as an answer to those questions — a platform to co-create solutions, to institutionalize innovation, and to sustain partnerships that can carry us through the next decade of urban growth.”
As Odisha’s urban population is projected to triple by 2036, ANKUR has been envisioned as a transformative platform to co-create resilient, livable, and future-ready cities. Anchored in the values of collaborative governance, ANKUR aligns with the national aspiration of Viksit Bharat @2047, while responding to Odisha’s unique socio-economic and urban context. It will strengthen four strategic pillars of urban development- capacity building, knowledge & research, implementation support and innovation.
Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, ANKUR will serve as the institutional backbone to drive reform, innovation, and evidence-based urban decision-making in the state.In addition, the Government acknowledged the long-standing support of organizations such as the National Institute of Urban Affairs, Tata Steel Foundation, World Resources Institute and others who have contributed significantly to Odisha’s urban evolution.
