BHUBANESWAR: NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam on Monday held a high-level meeting with chief secretary Anu Garg to review the pace and direction of major development initiatives in the state and outline priorities under Viksit Odisha-2036 and Viksit Bharat-2047 mission.
The second review meeting with NITI Aayog at Lok Seva Bhawan focused on accelerating execution of long-term programmes aimed at transforming Odisha into a sustainable, inclusive and innovation-driven economy. Special attention was given to the development of the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip Economic Region (BCPPER) as an integrated economic and urban growth corridor, with officials stressing the need to fast-track infrastructure and investment projects in the region.
Speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, Subrahmanyam said the discussions mainly focused on six areas - faster implementation of identified projects, development of the coastal economic corridor, innovative intervention and role of technology, skill development, social and economic empowerment of tribals, and health and nutrition.
Technology and innovation featured prominently, with discussions on strengthening the NITI Frontier Tech Hub, advancing the Living Lab programme and deploying research-based solutions for critical social challenges, including maternal and child nutrition. These innovation-driven approaches are expected to play a key role in improving service delivery and governance outcomes, officials said.
In the energy sector, the focus was on accelerating transition to clean, renewable and sustainable energy systems with policy support for affordable, long-lasting and environmentally-responsible power solutions. The meeting also reviewed ongoing initiatives under the earlier MoU between NITI Aayog and ISEG Foundation, including monitoring mechanisms and policy recommendations.
Special emphasis was placed on sectoral strategies for tribal empowerment through value-addition of minor forest produce such as sal seeds, expansion of skill-based education aligned with emerging industry requirements and scaling up renewable and clean energy initiatives to ensure affordable and environmentally sustainable power systems.
The meeting underlined the importance of stronger coordination between central and state institutions to ensure timely implementation of projects under the Odisha Vision framework. It also reaffirmed the shared commitment to transform Odisha into a growth engine contributing significantly to national development goals.
Senior NITI Aayog officials and domain experts joined virtually from New Delhi. Secretaries and senior officials from different departments of the state government also participated.