Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government’s Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department has organised a knowledge exchange session on strengthening urban governance, with a focus on promoting citizen-centric administration, institutional reforms and evidence-based policymaking to address the challenges of rapid urbanisation.
The programme, titled “Rethinking Urban Governance: Some Reflections,” was held at Kharavela Bhawan and brought together senior government officials, urban governance experts and municipal administrators to deliberate on strategies for building efficient, accountable and future-ready urban institutions.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Pralaya Kanungo of Leiden University, the Netherlands, stressed that citizen-centric governance is essential for ensuring accountable, responsive and forward-looking urban services. Drawing on international experiences and governance models from different countries, he highlighted the need to place citizens at the centre of policymaking to improve the quality of urban life.
The discussions centred on policy innovations, institutional reforms and measures to strengthen Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to make municipal governance more effective and responsive. Participants also emphasised inclusive and equitable urban development by prioritising the needs of vulnerable communities while underlining the importance of resilient urban infrastructure and improved disaster preparedness to tackle urban flooding and the growing impacts of climate change.
The session further highlighted the role of digital technologies and data-driven decision-making in improving transparency, efficiency and responsiveness in urban administration. Deliberations also covered municipal financial management, revenue mobilisation, enhanced service delivery, continuous capacity building, institutional strengthening and greater decentralisation to empower ULBs.
Additional Chief Secretary of the H&UD Department Usha Padhee said continuous learning and exposure to global best practices are critical for developing efficient, accountable and future-ready urban institutions. She observed that as Odisha’s cities continue to expand rapidly, municipal bodies must evolve beyond their conventional service delivery role and emerge as strategic institutions driving sustainable, inclusive and citizen-focused urban development. Integrating international best practices with local innovation, she added, would strengthen the state’s urban transformation efforts.
Prof. Kanungo commended the Odisha government’s initiative and said sustained collaboration among academia, policymakers and practitioners is crucial for shaping resilient, inclusive and future-oriented cities. He noted that such knowledge-sharing platforms provide opportunities for exchanging ideas, enhancing institutional capacity and encouraging innovation in urban governance.
Director of Municipal Administration Arindam Dakua, Director of Odisha Urban Academy Subhendu Sahu, senior officials of the H&UD Department and domain experts attended the programme. Commissioners of all municipal corporations and executive officers of municipalities and notified area councils across the state participated in the deliberations through virtual mode.
The department said the initiative reflects the Odisha government’s commitment to strengthening urban governance through continuous learning, global collaboration and policy innovation to accelerate the development of inclusive, resilient and well-governed cities across the state.
