BHUBANESWAR : Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi met World Bank president Ajay Banga at Lok Seva Bhawan here to discuss strengthening cooperation in key development sectors and advancing the state’s long-term growth and reform agenda.
Discussions focused on accelerating inclusive and sustainable development, skilling youth for private sector employment, enhancing infrastructure, improving social sector outcomes and promoting resilient and technology-driven growth.
The chief minister highlighted the state government’s flagship initiatives and reform measures aimed at boosting growth through increased investment in infrastructure, MSMEs, agriculture and allied sectors, and tourism, with a focus on generating employment, particularly for youth and women.
Majhi said the state has undertaken significant reforms in rules to improve the ease-of-doing business, which has helped attract large investments. As per CMIE data published in December 2025, Odisha has secured investment proposals worth `2.5 lakh crore, ranking second nationally after Andhra Pradesh, he said.
Appreciating Odisha’s development efforts and reform-oriented approach, the World Bank president assured support in realising ‘Odisha Vision 2036 and 2047: Viksit Odisha for Viksit Bharat’. He congratulated the state for its emphasis on skill development to create private sector jobs for the youth.
He said the upcoming World Bank Group-India strategic plan would build on successful models such as the Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC), Bhubaneswar, contributing to India’s $4 billion national initiative to upgrade Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
Banga reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to support Odisha through technical assistance, policy advisory services and financial cooperation, and underscored the importance of strengthening institutional capacity and fostering public-private partnerships.
The meeting exchanged views on global and regional economic challenges, including infrastructure development, urbanisation management and sustainable resource management, and agreed to explore new areas of cooperation aligned with Odisha’s development priorities and the World Bank’s strategic objectives.
Majhi shared the Odisha Vision Document with the World Bank president. Chief secretary Anu Garg, development commissioner D K Singh, senior state government officials and representatives of the World Bank attended the event.