CM Mohan Charan Majhi interacts with CII Eastern Region Council members; announces key measures to position Odisha as Eastern India's industrial growth platform
Bhubaneswar, June 26
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday addressed the CII Eastern Region Council Meet held in Bhubaneswar and interacted with around 55 members of CII from across the Eastern Region.
According to a press release, the event saw the participation of more than 230 participants from across the member states, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
This meeting of the CII Eastern Region Council is being held for the first time in Odisha.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister highlighted Odisha's role in driving the next phase of industrial growth in Eastern India. He stated that the rise of Eastern India will be central to India's journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047, and Odisha is ready to act as a platform for scale, collaboration and regional value-chain development.
The press release said that two major announcements were made during the interaction. The Chief Minister announced the amendment to Industrial Policy Resolution 2022, under which eligible non-mineral-based new industrial units in 15 districts, which are industrially backward, will be treated as Thrust Sector units. This will help attract new industries, promote balanced regional growth and create employment opportunities in districts that have remained outside traditional industrial corridors.
The Chief Minister also announced GO-EAST, a dedicated facilitation framework under the single window system to attract and fast-track investments from Eastern and North-Eastern India. GO-EAST will provide priority facilitation, faster approvals, dedicated relationship management and structured issue resolution for strategic industrial projects from the eastern region, the release added.
Strategic MoUs were also signed during the event. A total of 7 MoUs were signed across 6 sectors, including steel, metal downstream, textiles, power, green energy equipment and chemicals. These MoUs represent an investment potential of approximately Rs 24,823 crore and employment potential for nearly 29,500 persons, the release said.
The Chief Minister said, "Regional growth will be driven by regional strength and cooperation. Odisha is ready to be your platform for scale."
He further called upon industry leaders from the Eastern Region to partner with Odisha in building stronger industrial corridors, deeper supply chains and a more competitive regional economy.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone from Odisha, I'm cautiously optimistic. We've seen many MoUs signed before but implementation remains a challenge. The 29,500 jobs figure sounds promising but let's see how many actually materialise. Need to create local supply chains too!
Great to see Eastern India finally getting its due. As a Bengali entrepreneur, I'm excited about the GO-EAST framework - faster approvals are exactly what we need. But why only non-mineral based industries for backward districts? Our mineral wealth could be leveraged sustainably too.
Interesting strategic move. The concept of using Odisha as a platform for Eastern India's growth makes sense given its resources and port access. The 24,823 crore investment potential is substantial but needs transparent execution. Will be watching the progress closely.
Positive step but where's the focus on skilling? If we attract these industries, we need trained workforce. Industrial policy must include mandatory skill development partnerships with local ITIs and polytechnics. Also hope the green energy MoU includes solar manufacturing - Odisha can be a hub! 🌞
First time CII Eastern Region Council meet in Odisha - this itself is a big achievement. The Thrust Sector status for 15 backward districts is a game changer. My hometown in Kalahandi will finally get some industry! But please ensure proper environmental clearances are not compromised. Balance development with ecology.
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