Local Institutions and the Road to Viksit Bharat@2047: Shaping Sustainable Development and Governance in Smart Cities in Odisha

Abstract

Local institutions are central to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 by ensuring sustainable development and inclusive governance at the grass-root level. This paper presents the findings of research, which focused on the role of Slum Dweller Associations (SDAs) as local institutions in shaping governance and development for the urban poor in two Smart Cities of the eastern Indian state of Odisha. Based on a study of fifty-one slums across Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, the study employs a mixed-method approach, integrating both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Statistical tests using SPSS, including t-tests, ANOVA, and Chi-square, were conducted to assess sustainable development and inclusive governance outcomes, while NVivo software was used to analyse narratives and slum dwellers' perspectives. Better performance of SDAs in Bhubaneswar is due to their more inclusive and representative character, appropriate usage of technology, adoption of sustainable practices and stronger institutional linkages. Conversely, the weak presence of these factors in Rourkela leads to poor performance of SDAs in delivering governance and sustainable development to the urban poor.