THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, JUNE 11, 2026

Odisha is fast emerging as one of India’s strongest growth stories, driven by fiscal prudence, infrastructure expansion, technological innovation and inclusive human development, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said while presenting the state’s vision of a “Viksit Odisha” at the 11th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog on Thursday.

Addressing the high-level forum chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Majhi outlined Odisha’s ambitious roadmap to become a key pillar of a developed India by 2047, highlighting the state’s robust economic performance and transformative governance initiatives under the double-engine government.

The Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Modi for his visionary leadership and proactive measures to strengthen India’s energy security amid global uncertainties. He lauded the Centre’s efforts to diversify energy sources, promote electric vehicles and alternative fuels, and enhance domestic energy resilience.

Showcasing Odisha’s economic achievements, Majhi said the state recorded an impressive 7.9 per cent growth rate in 2025-26 while maintaining fiscal deficit and public debt within Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) limits. Reflecting its sound financial management, Odisha secured the top position in NITI Aayog’s Fiscal Health Index 2026.

The Chief Minister also acknowledged the Union Government’s allocation of ₹10,928 crore for railway development in the Union Budget 2026-27. With railway projects worth over ₹90,000 crore currently under implementation, Odisha is poised for a major leap in connectivity and logistics infrastructure.

Positioning Odisha as an emerging eastern maritime and logistics hub, Majhi highlighted the transformative potential of initiatives such as Sagarmala, PM Gati Shakti, the proposed Bahuda Deep Sea Port and National Waterway-5. These projects are expected to significantly reduce logistics costs, improve trade efficiency and strengthen global market linkages.

In a major boost to industrial development, Odisha has secured approval for two semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission, marking a significant step towards establishing the state as a destination for advanced manufacturing, electronics and high-technology investments.

Emphasising that development must be people-centric, the Chief Minister detailed Odisha’s extensive human development agenda aligned with the theme “Inclusive Human Development for Viksit Bharat@2047”. He highlighted innovative programmes such as ‘Ama Kuni Pila’, a home-based early childhood care initiative that actively engages fathers in child development, along with AI-enabled personalised learning, mother-tongue education and digital developmental tracking systems.

The state has established 44,875 Sishu Vatika classrooms benefiting more than 3.17 lakh children and is creating model primary schools across all Gram Panchayats. Welfare initiatives including the Mukhyamantri Poshan Yojana and Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana are aimed at improving nutrition, educational retention and empowerment of girls through targeted financial support.

Majhi said Odisha is also undertaking a comprehensive overhaul of its skilling ecosystem. Ten Industrial Training Institutes are being upgraded into Utkarsh ITIs with investments of ₹100 crore each, while industry-linked Centres of Excellence and public-private partnership models are enhancing employability and workforce readiness. The state is simultaneously expanding the World Skill Centre and preparing for implementation of the PM SETU Scheme.

Higher education, apprenticeship opportunities and sports infrastructure are receiving equal attention. Odisha is constructing 314 block-level stadiums under its Grassroots Infrastructure Development programme, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country aimed at nurturing sporting talent at the grassroots.

The Chief Minister further highlighted Odisha’s technology-driven governance model, citing the use of artificial intelligence across healthcare, education, disaster management and public service delivery. Digital initiatives such as AgriStack surveys covering over three crore land plots and the multilingual voice-enabled platform Ama Sathi are helping improve efficiency, accessibility and citizen engagement.

Reaffirming Odisha’s commitment to aligning human capital with future economic opportunities, Majhi stressed the importance of stronger industry-academia partnerships to support growth in manufacturing, services and emerging technologies.

 “Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, we are confident that the dream of Viksit Bharat will be realised, with a strong and prosperous Viksit Odisha standing proudly as one of its foremost pillars,” the Chief Minister said.