BHUBANESWAR : Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday called upon the youth to enhance their financial awareness as students in India often lack foundational exposure to economics, banking and finance, which can pose challenges later in life.
Joining the ‘My Bharat Budget Quest-2026’ programme at SOA University here virtually, the chief minister said the initiative aims at fostering financial responsibility among young people and equipping them with knowledge of budgeting, economics and emerging financial technologies.
On the state government’s focus on youth development, the chief minister said Odisha has significantly increased allocations for youth-centric sectors, including Rs 1,359 crore for sports, Rs 1,823 crore for skill development and Rs 1,895 crore for women’s empowerment.
Majhi said plans are in place to establish world-class skill centres in Sambalpur and Berhampur, covering sectors such as IT, agri-tech, AI, logistics and advanced manufacturing. Odisha is emerging as a global sports hub, with the 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championships scheduled to be held at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, he added.
Union Youth Affairs and Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya, in his virtual address, underscored the responsibility of youth in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 and highlighted the role of the MY Bharat platform in shaping future-ready citizens.
The programme also featured an interactive session where students engaged with the chief minister on issues related to women’s empowerment, sports and skill development.
The programme, organised with the support of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, featured quiz and essay competitions on budget-related topics. More than 1.2 million youth participated nationwide, with around 12,000 recognised at the national-level. As many as 440 students from Odisha were among the awardees and attended the event along with 25 participants from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.