Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Mukhya Mantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan (MUKTA) initiative of the Odisha government has made it to the top five finalists for the 2021-2022 WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities. The World Resources Institute announced five projects as finalists at the 11th World Urban Forum in Katowice, Poland, on Wednesday.
The World Resources Institute while announcing the Urban Wage Employment Initiative – MUKTA – as one of the finalists said “During India’s COVID-19 lockdown, the Department of Housing and Urban Development of the Government of Odisha State pioneered an innovative mass employment scheme in cities for migrants, informal workers and the urban poor that created climate-sensitive infrastructure and has now been replicated by other Indian states at a massive scale.”
Through the Prize, WRI seeks to inspire urban changemakers across the globe by elevating trailblazing initiatives, telling impactful stories of sustainable urban transformation, and creating a network of changemakers.
The finalists were chosen through a rigorous selection process. Criteria included the extent to which submissions demonstrated big, innovative ideas and novel approaches; life-changing impact on people’s lives, mindsets and behaviors; and ripple effects across and beyond the city. Finalists are chosen by a large evaluation team, and the $250,000-grand prize winner is selected by an independent jury of leaders in urban affairs. The four runners-up each receive $25,000. The grand prize winner will be announced in December 2022.
