THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, NOVEMBER 12, 2026
Odisha is poised to emerge as a major destination for globally
competitive investments, with the state government stepping up its push for
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects across key sectors, including
industrial infrastructure, affordable housing and large-scale social
infrastructure.
In a significant move, Odisha has taken a major step towards setting up
its first-ever desalination project at Gopalpur, with the signing of a
tripartite agreement involving the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development
Corporation (IDCO), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the state's
PPP Cell. The proposed project entails an investment of around Rs 1,000 crore
and marks a major milestone in the state's efforts to attract private
investment in critical infrastructure.
The development came at the 66th meeting of the Empowered Committee on
Infrastructure for PPP Projects, chaired by Chief Secretary Anu Garg at Lok
Seva Bhawan here on Thursday.
Emphasising the importance of the state's collaboration with the IFC,
Garg said Odisha must build a robust pipeline of viable PPP projects across
diverse sectors, ranging from urban affordable housing to industrial
infrastructure, with a particular focus on projects delivering large-scale
social benefits.
Kamal Dorabawila, Manager, PPP Transaction Advisory Services (South
Asia), IFC, said the organisation's entire team was keenly focused on
positioning Odisha as a strategic hub for globally competitive investment
opportunities.
The meeting also gave a major boost to the state's infrastructure
investment pipeline, granting in-principle approval to 11 projects identified
under the IFC collaboration, with a combined estimated project cost of around
Rs 15,498 crore.
In addition, five new projects involving an aggregate investment of
approximately Rs 831.68 crore were approved by the committee, further expanding
the state's PPP project portfolio.
The committee also reviewed the progress of 28 ongoing PPP projects with a cumulative project cost of around Rs 28,764.28 crore, underscoring the government's focus on accelerating infrastructure development through private sector participation.
The proposed Gopalpur desalination project is expected to be a landmark addition to Odisha's infrastructure landscape, reflecting the state's growing emphasis on innovative public-private partnerships to address emerging infrastructure needs and unlock new investment opportunities.
