Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi shared the state’s progress and development roadmap at the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog held in New Delhi. The meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister, brought together state leaders to contribute to the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Speaking at the meeting, Chief Minister Majhi thanked the Prime Minister for visiting Odisha five times in the past eleven months, stating, “ This shows the strong commitment of the Central Government towards Odisha’s development. I assure you, Odisha will be the growth engine in the country’s development journey over the next twenty-five years.”
He highlighted that Odisha recorded a growth rate of 7.2% in 2024–25, higher than the national average of 6.5%. Major infrastructure investments have been sanctioned for the state, including ₹73,000 crore in railway projects and ₹4,600 crore for national highways. An additional ₹17,500 crore worth of projects are in the pipeline.
The Chief Minister said Odisha is working closely with the Centre to implement key schemes such as PM USHA, PM SHRI, Mamata-PMMVY, NEP 2020 and PM-JAY.
Majhi announced that Odisha’s Vision 2036 document will be launched on 12 June 2025. “The year 2036 will mark 100 years of Odisha’s formation. Our vision document is built on inputs from over 3.2 lakh citizens and reflects the state’s aspirations to become a USD 500 billion economy by 2036 and a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2047,” he said.
He added, “We have begun work to bring all cultivable land under irrigation, boost agricultural productivity, and expand urbanisation as an engine of growth. We also aim to improve connectivity and develop port-based special economic zones to create jobs.”
The government has targeted increasing irrigation potential by 15 lakh hectares by 2029–30 and aims for 90% irrigation coverage across cultivable land. “We are focused on making Odisha climate and disaster-resilient,” the Chief Minister noted.
Urbanisation is a key priority, with a goal to increase urban coverage from the current 17% to 40% by 2036 and 60% by 2047. A 7,000 sq km metropolitan region is planned around Bhubaneswar, Khurda, Jatni, Cuttack, Paradip and Puri.
He highlighted the global success of the “Skilled in Odisha” initiative, stating, “Our World Skill Centre is producing globally employable youth. With certifications in partnership with Singapore, our candidates are now placed in countries like UAE, Japan, and Singapore.”
The Subhadra scheme has reached over 1 crore women, transferring ₹10,000 crore directly into their bank accounts. “This scheme has been a game-changer for women’s empowerment. Odisha also leads the country with over 16 lakh Lakhpati Didis,” said Majhi.
To improve primary education, the state has launched the “Godabarisha Mishra Adarsha Prathamik Vidyalaya” initiative, which will upgrade 7,000 elementary schools. Majhi, who began his career as a schoolteacher, said, “Strengthening the foundation of primary education was always a dream of mine. We are now making it a reality.”
He also noted that under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY, over 1 crore families in Odisha have access to ₹5 lakh cashless treatment. The recently held Utkarsh Odisha Conclave received investment proposals worth ₹16.73 lakh crore across 20 sectors, with potential to create 12.88 lakh jobs.
The state is working on regulatory reforms to support ease of doing business. “We are aligning with the Jan Vishwas Act and are drafting the Odisha Jan Vishwas Bill, 2025 to address minor legal defaults more efficiently,” said the Chief Minister.
Odisha has introduced a new road policy and set up a State Highways Authority. Plans are also underway to develop Hirakud as a Special Tourism Zone and promote the Buddhist tourism circuit.
The state is also investing in emerging technologies like AI, robotics, and biotech, with dedicated budgetary allocations.
On culture, the Chief Minister said, “Odia Asmita is about embracing our heritage while moving forward. Odisha – where tradition meets tomorrow – is our identity.” He expressed gratitude to the Government of India for giving Bali Yatra greater cultural recognition and shared plans to collaborate with the National School of Drama for the Dhanuyatra festival in Bargarh.
Concluding his speech, Majhi said, “With support from the Central Government and my counterparts from other states, Odisha is ready to play a leading role in building a Viksit Bharat. Odisha ke liye yahi samay hai, sahi samay hai.”
BI Bureau
