Bhubaneswar, June 8 (IANS) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday asserted that the state has made significant progress in the industrial sector over the last year, outpacing the industrial growth of the previous five years combined, through quiet, focused, and committed action.
During an interaction with prominent industry leaders, MSME entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs and start-up sector leaders ahead of the first anniversary of his government here, CM Majhi said, “One year ago, the people of Odisha, placed their faith in us, to build a future, that is inclusive, aspirational, and transformative. Today, as we reflect on this first year, we do so with pride, in our progress and renewed commitment to the journey ahead.”
He thanked the entrepreneurs and industry leaders for becoming partners in Odisha’s growth story.
Saying that the government is focusing more on job creation and more employment, he urged the industry captains and entrepreneurs to grow with Odisha as well as join the journey of making Odisha an industrial powerhouse.
Chief Minister Majhi highlighted that more than 150 memorandums of understanding were signed, generating Rs 16.7 lakh crore of investment intent and an employment potential for more than 12.9 lakh people during the Utkarsh Odisha Conclave last year which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He also said that over the last year alone, 206 large projects were approved, nearly double the average of the previous five years.
These represent a total investment value of more than Rs 4.5 lakh crore and an employment potential of nearly 2.9 lakh jobs, he added.
“Since Utkarsha Odisha, 56 projects have already been taken up for ground-breaking and inauguration, with a combined investment of more than Rs 1.78 lakh crore, and employment potential for 1.1 lakh people. These numbers reflect not only our speed, but scale and substance,” CM Majhi said.
These projects cover 20 diverse sectors from traditional strengths like mining, metallurgy and metal downstream to emerging opportunities in chemicals, food processing, apparel and textiles, renewable energy equipment, electronics, and tourism, he added.
The Chief Minister asserted that Odisha is no longer just the minerals and metals hub of India, it is fast becoming a diversified industrial powerhouse.
“Looking ahead to the next year, we will focus on four key priorities. First, we will bring new policies that unlock emerging sectors, and offer global competitiveness. Second, we will expand our land bank and industrial infrastructure, to meet future demand. Third, we will revamp our single window system, and develop a modern, integrated project tracking platform. Fourth, we will work to deregulate and simplify burdensome rules and processes. These steps will ensure faster approvals, seamless coordination, and real-time progress monitoring,” CM Majhi added.
He also said that the next four years will lay the foundation for a Samruddha Odisha 2036.
“We will build on our leadership in mining, metals, and green chemicals with strong support from partners like IOCL, JSW, JSPL, Tata Steel, AMNS, Vedanta, Hindalco, and Adani. We are also strengthening port-based industrialisation, through new terminals, jetties, and container handling capacity, across the Paradip-Dhamra-Gopalpur stretch,” affirmed CM Majhi.
–IANS
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