Bhubaneswar: Odisha ranked second behind Kerala in Urban Governance Index (UGI) 2024, a two year-long study conducted across several cities in India by the Praja Foundation.
Odisha scored 55.10 out of 100 in various metrics. While the state scored high in empowered citizens, it still has a long way to go in empowerment of the city administration, according to the study, which assessed multiple Indian cities, mapped progress, developments, and policy changes across 42 UGI indicators.
Kerala at 59.31 was the only state among the top five to have scored better than Odisha.
The bottom 5 states are Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Chandigarh and Punjab. The national average of UGI, including 28 states, 2 Union Territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, stands at 39.70/100.
“This recognition reflects our long-standing efforts to decentralise power and ensure that our cities and urban local bodies have the resources and autonomy needed to deliver on their mandates. Odisha will continue to prioritise transparent, accountable, and citizen-driven governance,” said Housing & Urban Development Minister Dr Krushna Chandra Mahapatra.
In the 2020 study, Odisha had topped all Indian states in urban governance with a score of 56.88 while Nagaland ranked at the bottom. Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh followed Odisha to round up the top five.
