BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday urged the Centre to bolster support for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and and state-of-the-art technology for design and manufacturing of semiconductors at his first NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting in New Delhi.
Majhi asserted Odisha’s potential to become a semiconductor hub. “Odisha has a growing pool of talented tech professionals, a thriving startup ecosystem and an ambitious semiconductor policy, making it an ideal location for becoming a semiconductor hub,” he said seeking the Centre’s backing.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing 'Purvodaya' scheme in the Union budget for 2024-25 to boost development in five eastern states including Odisha, the chief minister also solicited dedicated budget allocations and quick clearances from the Centre for various infrastructure projects.
Stating that Viksit Odisha will be a key contributor to Viksit Bharat, Majhi said the state can adopt the port-led development model to leverage its long coastline to become the gateway to Eastern and South Eastern Asia and a port of call for neighbouring landlocked states.
"Support is therefore required for establishment of large-scale port-based industrial zones in areas surrounding the existing ports of Dhamra and Gopalpur while further developing greenfield ports at Astaranga, Palur, Bahuda, and Subarnarekha," he said.
Given Odisha’s susceptibility to natural disasters, Majhi requested financial assistance from the Centre for creating disaster-resilient infrastructure in the power, telecom, and coastal saline embankment sectors to mitigate the impact of cyclones and floods.
Looking ahead, Majhi underscored the importance of the next decade as Odisha approaches its centenary in 2036."We have started working on a strategy to stimulate high growth to realise the dream of Viksit Odisha by 2036 leading eventually to Viksit Bharat by 2047. With our geographical location resource base and demographic composition, we envisage Odisha's consistent growth at a rate of 8 per cent to 10 per cent annually, moving from a middle-ranking state to being one of the first wagons in the train of India's development," he said.
Majhi also sought the assistance of the Centre to move up the value chain through the production of special metals and alloys for aerospace and defence. "Odisha has a rich cultural heritage and a unique identity that can be leveraged as a soft power to promote its interests globally through art, architecture, handloom, handicrafts, dance forms. This is in tune with the prime minister's national vision of 'Vikash Bhi, Virasat Bhi', he said.