BHUBANESWAR: Union Education minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to develop two major clusters - Sambalpur-Sundargarh-Jharsuguda-Bargarh and Angul-Dhenkanal - as separate City Economic Regions (CERs) to accelerate balanced economic growth in the state.
In a letter to the chief minister, Pradhan proposed creating the regions on the lines of the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip Economic Region model. He said the two clusters together contribute more than 26 per cent to the state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
The Sambalpur-Sundargarh-Jharsuguda-Bargarh cluster, located along the Mahanadi and near the Hirakud reservoir, has strong industrial and resource advantages, including steel, aluminium, coal and energy sectors. The presence of premier institutions such as National Institute of Technology, Rourkela; Indian Institute of Management, Sambalpur; Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology and Sambalpur University has strengthened the region’s potential as a hub for innovation, startups and new-age economy.
Pradhan highlighted that the cluster’s location within a 300 km radius of major cities such as Bhubaneswar, Raipur and Ranchi enhances its commercial viability. He also emphasised strengthening air connectivity through the Veer Surendra Sai airport and expanding tourism at sites such as Debrigarh, Khandadhar and Vedavyas.
Similarly, the Angul-Dhenkanal region serves as a critical industrial and energy corridor. Major public sector units such as National Aluminium Company, NTPC and Mahanadi Coalfields form the backbone of power and mineral production. The region also benefits from abundant coal, chromite and iron ore reserves, making it ideal for heavy industry, manufacturing and renewable energy projects.
Pradhan noted that the development of National Waterway-5 along the Brahmani river would further improve logistics by enabling cheaper transport of minerals between Talcher, Kalinganagar and Paradip. The region offers significant opportunities for investment in electronics manufacturing, global capability centres, food processing and textiles, as well as tourism around Satkosia, Kapilash and Saptasajya, he added.
The Union minister said establishing these economic regions would accelerate industrialisation, create employment for thousands of youth and support planned urbanisation. He further said that the proposal aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Purvodaya” vision to drive economic growth in eastern India.
Pradhan has also submitted a detailed concept note to the state government outlining the roadmap for developing the proposed economic corridors.