Bhubaneswar: The state capital, Thursday, bagged second position in the Ease of Living Index (EoLI) 2020 survey as per the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). About 111 cities participated in the assessment that was conducted in 2020.
The rankings under the EoLI were assessed under two separate categories. While cities having more than one million population come under the first category, those having less than one million population are classified under the second set of cities. Bhubaneswar, which falls under the second category, scored 59.85 and was ranked second, only after Shimla which scored 60.90 points. Silvassa (58.43) in Dadra and Nagar Haveli grabbed the third spot.
Bhubaneswar showing a significant improvement as compared to its last year’s assessment saw its ranking notched up from 18th to second. Moreover, under the category of Indian cities having a population of over a million, Bangalore was rated as the top city in the survey. This was followed by Pune and Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, Bareilly, Dhanbad and Srinagar remained lowest in the survey.
It can be mentioned here that EoLI is an assessment tool that evaluates the quality of life and the impact of various initiatives for urban development. The first edition of the index was launched in 2018. It provides a comprehensive understanding of participating cities across India based on economic-ability of a city, its sustainability and resilience. The assessment also incorporates the residents’ view on the services provided by city administration through a citizen perception survey.