Bhubaneswar: The housing and urban affairs ministry has selected Odisha's two smart cities for rigorous assessment on its living standards among 116 Indian cities.

This will be the first time when the two cities - Rourkela and Bhubaneswar - will be assessed on liveability indices. The Centre has prepared a Liveability Standards for Indian Cities with the two cities getting national ranks under it.

Accordingly, a team from the Centre will visit the two cities in April to assess the implementation of the set parameters. Sources said the entire drive would be concluded before June 15 and the cities with the cities ranked by then.

In the meantime, with the launching of City Liveability Index based on the present living conditions on February 13, the housing and urban development department has swung into action and directed the administrations of the cities to take steps to improve living standards.

"We have got the direction from the Centre on the launching of the liveability index and sent officials of both the cities to attend the workshop in New Delhi. They have been sensitised now to prepare for the assessment," said an official of the housing and urban development department.

According to the concept note of the assessment, there are 15 categories under which the cities will be assessed. These include governance, health and education, safety, identity and culture, economy, pollution, mixed use of land, open spaces, urban mobility and other core urban services.

"We have been constantly improving on different parameters such as infrastructure, mobility, and real estate. We have taken a number of steps to improve the living standards of girls and children through our Smart City Mission. We are optimistic about doing well in the liveability assessment," said Bhubaneswar mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.

Patia resident Jatindra Mohanty said Bhubaneswar had already earned the status of an education hub.

"The city has improved on many parameters, but there are certain core areas such as mobility and sanitation where improvement is needed," said Mohanty, a retired government employee.