BHUBANESWAR: Odisha on Thursday laid out a bold and time-bound strategy to become a developed state by 2036 and a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2047.
Released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Vision-2036 blueprint, part of the broader ‘Viksit Odisha for Viksit Bharat’ agenda, sets ambitious targets to rapidly urbanise, double employment, and attract massive investments to the state.
The vision focuses on six foundational pillars: people first, rural empowerment, people-centric governance, prosperity for all, our legacy our pride, and technology leading the way. These encompass priority areas such as women-led development, quality education, universal healthcare, green energy, smart agriculture, and cultural revitalisation.
The state has set a target for the creation of over one crore new jobs, backed by massive investments in manufacturing, green energy, agriculture, skilling, and tourism.
A core part of this plan is the creation of world-class economic agglomerations. It envisages a Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip Economic Region (BCPPER), which will be developed into a USD 500 billion hub, contributing to one-third of the state’s GSDP by 2047.
This urban-industrial corridor will integrate innovation hubs, ports, high-tech manufacturing zones, educational institutions, medical tourism centres, and smart cities. Three more regional agglomerations, Bargarh-Jharsuguda-Sambalpur, Berhampur-Chhatrapur-Gopalpur, and Jeypore-Koraput-Sunabeda, will also follow the BCPPER model.
The vision sets a target to increase Odisha’s urbanisation from the current 17 per cent to 40 per cent by 2036 and 60 per cent by 2047. This includes transforming eight cities around industrial clusters such as Angul, Balangir, Bhadrak, Kalinga Nagar, Keonjhar, Baripada, Rayagada, and Rourkela.
A ‘liveable cities mission’ has been planned to improve the quality of life in 45 towns with populations over 25,000. The government will encourage corporate investments, with a goal of private funding covering 15 per cent of infrastructure development by 2036.
The roadmap also proposes sweeping reforms in the education sector. The state envisions achieving 100 per cent literacy, 100 per cent gross enrolment ratio, and zero dropouts across all levels. It also aims to have five Odisha universities among the global top 500 and to skill youth for global placement through institutions like the World Skill Centres and ITIs in all 314 blocks.
In a bid to revolutionise healthcare, the state has planned a medi-city in the proposed Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip quad-city region, technology-enabled efficient service delivery, disaster-resilient public health infrastructure, and a world-class elder healthcare delivery system. It also aims to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure by 75 per cent and rank among the top five states in life expectancy.
Underlining that infrastructure will be a key enabler, the state has planned to modernise over 75,000 km of road network by 2030, expand metro connectivity through projects like the regional rapid transit system in the BCPPER region, and establish five new airports including an international one in Puri.
Industrial mega-parks covering 1,000 to 3,000 hectares each have been planned, along with a strong focus on green industries like semiconductors, electric vehicles, and clean materials. A goal has been set to create over 20 lakh MSMEs by 2036 under the ‘Ama Udyog’ initiative. A dedicated ‘manufacturing mission’ will be rolled out to ease land acquisition, provide plug-and-play infrastructure, and support skill development.
Social inclusion has been the cornerstone of the state’s development agenda. The vision aims for 100 per cent pucca housing, piped water, sanitation, and electricity access by 2036. Women will be at the heart of development through employment, entrepreneurship, and leadership initiatives, including the Lakhpati Didi and Subhadra Plus schemes.
In rural development, the document outlines goals like making every village self-sufficient, poverty-free, and equipped with modern infrastructure. It includes plans for doubling non-farm jobs, ensuring 100 per cent road, water, and electricity connectivity, and implementing smart water resource management.
Agriculture will see a focus on value chains, post-harvest infrastructure, women’s land ownership, and climate-smart practices. The blue economy, especially shrimp and seafood exports, is expected to play a major role in coastal livelihoods.
Significantly, the vision commits to balancing growth with sustainability. Odisha plans to strengthen climate resilience through coastal zone management, disaster-proof infrastructure, and green urban planning. Governance reforms such as unified planning systems, real-time dashboards, and public financial management will support effective implementation.
In the energy sector, Odisha will invest in large-scale renewable projects, aiming for a 60 per cent renewable capacity share and 45 per cent of power generation from green sources by 2036. It also plans to produce three million tonnes of green hydrogen per annum and build resilience through disaster-proof power systems and rural electrification.
The state’s mining sector will continue to be a growth driver, with projected iron ore production of 250 million tonnes and steel output of 130 million tonnes by 2036.
The government has promised to reduce mine operationalisation time from 4.5 years to three years through digitised permits and fast-track approvals. Mineral-based downstream industries will be promoted via mega metal parks and R&D centres.
With specific outcome targets set for 2036 (the centenary of the state's formation) and 2047 (100th year of India's independence), the 604-page vision document has been prepared with inputs from over 3.2 lakh citizens, including youth, farmers, industry leaders, civil society, and the Odia diaspora.