The government of Odisha has established a three-year agreement with J-PAL South Asia to further the implementation of evidence-based public policies as part of its Vision 2036 and Vision 2047 initiatives.
Based in Bhubaneswar, this collaboration formalizes a strategy to integrate empirical research, randomized evaluations, and sophisticated data tools into the decision-making processes of the state’s administration.
This arrangement will synchronize state departmental programs with two long-term development goals: “Samruddha Odisha” for Vision 2036 and “Viksit Odisha” for Vision 2047, which align with the national Viksit Bharat agenda. J-PAL South Asia will support state ministries in pinpointing complex policy challenges, generating field-tested research, and translating experimental insights into actionable administrative measures.
A high-level Steering Committee, headed by Chief Secretary Anu Garg, will oversee the initiative. This committee will consist of senior government officials and representatives from the research organization and is set to convene biannually to evaluate proposals. Daily operational coordination will be managed by appointed nodal officers from both parties, while project details, outcomes, and timelines will be developed in close consultation with specific line departments.
The agreement was officially signed on Wednesday by Rashmi Kabi, Financial Advisor-cum-Additional Secretary in the Planning and Convergence Department, and Shobhini Mukerji, Executive Director of J-PAL South Asia. The signing event was attended by Chief Secretary Garg, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh, J-PAL South Asia Acting Associate Director for Policy Murali Mallikarjunan, and various secretaries from state departments.
J-PAL South Asia is located at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) in Chennai.
Chief Secretary Garg outlined three main operational goals for the collaboration: utilizing global empirical research to address local needs, collaborating closely with government departments to adapt these insights to the unique context of Odisha, and thoroughly assessing data- and AI-driven initiatives before large-scale implementation. She highlighted the necessity of working with research organizations to ensure that administrative innovations meet international standards as the state pursues its long-term objectives.
Mukerji affirmed that Odisha has been a pioneer in applying data-driven approaches to public governance. She indicated that this renewed partnership will emphasize the development and testing of customized solutions while bolstering the state’s current capabilities for monitoring and evaluation.
This formal agreement builds on a relationship that dates back to 2006. Over the last two decades, state departments and the research organization have collaborated on various sectors, including agriculture, sanitation, public administration, early childhood education, and foundational literacy and numeracy initiatives.
One notable project is “Barnali,” an ongoing gender-equity curriculum implemented in approximately 23,000 state-run schools, where J-PAL South Asia serves as the research and analytical partner alongside the School and Mass Education Department and the non-profit Breakthrough Trust.
J-PAL operates as a global network with over 1,000 affiliated academics and has conducted or started more than 2,500 randomized evaluations worldwide to identify effective anti-poverty strategies. Its co-founders, economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, received the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for their pioneering work with experimental field trials in public policy.
