BHUBANESWAR: Odisha’s renewable energy targets has the potential to support around 30,000 jobs by 2030, and 1 million in future. However, the state needs to build a strong skill ecosystem among its youth for these technology-driven jobs for better employment outcomes, a latest employability report has revealed.
The ‘Odisha’s Green Economy Workforce: Jobs, Skills and Entrepreneurship Opportunities’ report released by iFOREST underlined that youth skilling in Odisha requires focused attention, as this segment represents the state’s future workforce for an economy that will increasingly be shaped by technology-driven jobs.
Though technical education among youth rose from 1.76 per cent in 2018 to 4.22 pc in 2025, over 95 pc of them are still without a technical qualification. The report said most skills are still picked up informally, that can affect the access to well-paid, technology-driven jobs.
Odisha’s labour force participation rate of 67.9 pc and unemployment rate of 3.3 pc in 2025 are both better than the national average. However, a working-age population not having technical education needs consideration, it said.
Agroforestry, forest management and mangrove restoration will offer a double benefit, building climate resilience while creating jobs, while formal waste management is another major opportunity. Put together, Odisha’s green economy could support up to 10 lakh jobs in future, the report said.
The report recommended to set up the Odisha Green Jobs and Skilling Mission as a dedicated programme under the SDTE department, with a state apex committee chaired by the chief secretary.
It also proposed establishment of district skill councils in industry-heavy districts, updating of ITI and polytechnic courses to include green skills and strengthening the labour market information system to track green job demand.
SDTE additional secretary Sukanta Pradhan said the department will extend all necessary support to advance Odisha’s green-skilling agenda. “Odisha has an enormous opportunity to build a green economy that creates jobs at scale,” said director for Just Transition and Climate Change at iFOREST Srestha Banerjee.
IFOREST FINDS
State’s renewable energy target by 2030 has potential to support 30K jobs by 2030 and 57K by 2035
Approved green investment pipeline for hydrogen, EV and battery and bio-energy, etc., could add an additional 48K jobs
Over 95% of state’s youth are still without a technical qualification
Odisha’s labour force participation rate of 67.9% and unemployment rate of 3.3% in 2025 are both better than nat’l average
