BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday said that the GST reforms to be rolled out next month by the Centre will bring a major change in the country’s business and trade sectors.
Addressing the valedictory function of a seminar on ‘Strengthening Odisha’s Growth Engine’, organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Laghu Udyog Bharati, Majhi said if the GST rate is reduced consumption will increase. He said that this will be a boost for manufacturing sector and create more employment opportunities.
Stating that the goal of the government is to place Odisha among the top five developed states in the country, the chief minister highlighted agriculture, industry and social development sectors as growth engines. He said efforts are on to make Odisha a manufacturing hub by utilising the mining resources.
“To achieve this goal, we are also giving importance to the development of our mining and metals, chemicals-petrochemicals, IT, startups, agriculture and food processing, tourism and MSME sectors,” he added.
The chief minister said his government has prepared a vision document which outlines the development roadmap for Odisha.
He also said the government is going full thurst on infrastructure development. Railway projects worth about `80,000 crore and more than `12,000 crore highway and road projects are being undertaken with the help of the Centre.
As urbanisation in Odisha is expected to cross 60 per cent by 2047, the government is also paying special attention to new urban areas, affordable housing and creating world-class infrastructure, he added.