Sustaining Cuttack’s urban service improvements: exploring the levers

This paper explores concerns relating to the DFID-funded Cuttack Urban Services Improvement Project (CUSIP) in the state of Orissa, one of the most challenging areas of India with its constant exposure to floods, drought, famine and cyclones, and associated social, economic and political complexities. It describes the achievements of the project, both in terms of infrastructure “hardware” and social “software” benefits, which are equally part of the “new infrastructure agenda”. It also points to reasons for the failure to achieve all of the original project targets in terms of coverage, upgrading provision of basic services, and linking them to citywide networks. It raises, in particular, post-project sustainability issues relating to the management of the increased infrastructure asset base that resulted from the project. Recommendations for action at both the municipal and community levels are presented, for immediate management of post-project issues involving institution building, and retaining and revitalizing the existing institutions.