Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is strengthening urban governance and service delivery through the Atal Network for Knowledge, Urbanisation and Reform (ANKUR), a collaborative platform aimed at connecting Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with specialised knowledge, technology, experts and innovation partners to address city-level challenges.
Launched on May 28, 2025, in line with the vision of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, ANKUR functions as a bridge between urban challenges and workable solutions. Rather than operating as a standalone scheme, the platform supports existing government urban programmes by helping ULBs identify problems, access specialised expertise, test innovative approaches, build institutional capacity and scale successful interventions across cities.
“ANKUR is about connecting the needs of our cities with the right knowledge, expertise and solutions. By strengthening the capacity of Urban Local Bodies and enabling innovation, our objective is to make urban services simpler, faster and more responsive to citizens,” said Usha Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department.
The platform brings the government, knowledge institutions, technical experts, development organisations and innovation partners together to provide ULBs with expertise in areas ranging from municipal finance and land management to environmental engineering and digital systems. By pooling specialised knowledge, ANKUR enables cities to access the right expertise at the right time and translate it into practical interventions.
ANKUR is currently supporting initiatives in digital governance, environmental management, regulatory reforms, capacity building, sanitation, livelihoods and citizen outreach. Digital initiatives such as SUJOG are strengthening municipal service delivery across 115 cities, while data-driven interventions are being used to identify and address local urban challenges.
Under the Dispersed Sources Programme, 2,604 localised pollution-related issues were identified in Bhubaneswar, of which 1,225 have been resolved. The government has set a target of resolving 80 per cent of the identified issues by October 2026.
The platform is also focused on strengthening the institutional capacity of ULBs. More than 1,150 government officials have been trained through capacity-building initiatives, while knowledge-led reforms are contributing to simplification of building construction, land subdivision and land-use regulations to facilitate planned urban development and efficient utilisation of land.
ANKUR’s interventions also include measures aimed at improving the safety and dignity of sanitation workers through mechanisation, safety equipment and training. At the same time, initiatives such as the Lighthouse Programme are linking youth with skills and employment opportunities, while SAHAJOG and SAHAJOG Plus are helping urban families access government schemes and essential services.
The platform is further being used to test and scale innovative solutions to emerging urban challenges, including the reuse of low-value plastic waste and improved management of Construction and Demolition Waste. Successful interventions can subsequently be adapted and replicated across other ULBs.
Through ANKUR, the government is seeking to build an urban innovation ecosystem in which city-level challenges are connected with relevant expertise, converted into practical solutions, tested on the ground and scaled for wider public benefit.
Aligned with the Viksit Odisha @2036 vision, the initiative aims to strengthen the state’s capacity to convert knowledge into solutions and solutions into better public services, contributing to cleaner, safer, more resilient and citizen-centric cities across Odisha.
