In a significant step towards strengthening urban governance and enhancing the capacities of Urban Local Body (ULB) officials, the Capacity Building Commission (CBC), Govt of India, in collaboration with the Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Department, Government of Odisha, organized a comprehensive capacity-building workshop at the Odisha Urban Academy, Bhubaneswar on 23^rd July, 2025.

The event was graced by senior dignitaries, including Dr. Alka Mittal, Member – Administration, Capacity Building Commission; Smt. Usha Padhee, IAS, Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha; Shri S.P. Roy, Joint Secretary, Capacity Building Commission; Shri Satrughna Kar, Additional Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department; and Dr. Santanu Rath, Director, Odisha Urban Academy.

In their addresses, the dignitaries emphasized the need for continuous learning, institutional strengthening, and strategic use of digital tools to meet the complex demands of modern urban governance. They lauded the collaborative efforts between the Centre and the State in advancing the goals of Mission Karmayogi and building a professional, agile and citizen-focused urban administration.

The workshop aimed to empower ULB officials to be citizen-centric, future-ready, and outcomes-driven, in alignment with the core vision of Mission Karmayogi—the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB).

Over 100 officials from various ULBs across Odisha participated in this day-long engagement, which focused on both institutional and individual capacity building across critical functional and domain areas.

Key thematic sessions included:

• The foundational principles and transformative potential of Mission Karmayogi
• Public procurement processes tailored for urban governance
• Budget planning and financial management for effective service delivery at the ULB level

These sessions were designed to equip officials with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to deliver more accountable, transparent, and responsive governance at the grassroots level.

A key highlight of the workshop was the live demonstration of the iGOT Karmayogi platform—India’s flagship digital learning ecosystem for public servants. With its modular, role-based, and self-paced learning pathways, the platform represents a paradigm shift in how civil servants engage with learning and development. Odisha has emerged as a pioneer, having already onboarded over three lakh government officials onto the iGOT Karmayogi platform, showcasing the state’s commitment to digital-first, lifelong learning.

This workshop underscores a shared commitment to building a scalable, inclusive, and sustained capacity development ecosystem in the urban sector—one that not only strengthens service delivery but also reimagines the role of public servants in a rapidly urbanizing India.

Through such initiatives, Mission Karmayogi continues to drive the transformation of India’s civil services into a future-ready workforce, capable of realizing the aspirations of a new, self-reliant India.

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NKR/PSM

(Release ID: 2147874)