29th May 2025: The Odisha government on Wednesday launched ANKUR — Atal Network for Knowledge, Urbanisation and Reforms — a forward-looking initiative to accelerate sustainable urban growth across the state.
At the launch event, the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department signed MoUs with six prominent organisations working in the urban development sector. State Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra highlighted that ANKUR reflects a shared vision to build smart, efficient, and citizen-centric cities as part of the larger mission of a Viksit Odisha.
Principal Secretary Usha Padhee emphasized that ANKUR emerged from a year-long process of dialogue and collaboration, aimed at addressing the rising complexity of urbanisation in Odisha. With the state’s urban population expected to triple by 2036, ANKUR is designed as a transformative platform to foster innovation, partnerships, and practical solutions.
The initiative will focus on four key pillars: capacity building, knowledge and research, implementation support, and innovation — aligning both with the national Viksit Bharat @2047 vision and Odisha’s unique urban needs.
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