Majhi says Union Budget to boost Odisha’s logistics, industrial ecosystem

Noting that the Budget, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament earlier in the day, focuses on the development of youth and farmers, Majhi said, This provides new opportunities for youth, farmers, entrepreneurs, middle class, and recognition for workers. Speaking to reporters at Sonepur during a visit to the district, he said the provisions of the Budget clearly aim to accelerate innovation, manufacturing, and employment while strengthening agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, tourism and culture.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday described the Union Budget as ''forward-looking and inclusive'' and asserted that it would boost the state's logistics and industrial ecosystem. Noting that the Budget, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament earlier in the day, focuses on the development of youth and farmers, Majhi said, ''This provides new opportunities for youth, farmers, entrepreneurs, middle class, and recognition for workers.'' Speaking to reporters at Sonepur during a visit to the district, he said the provisions of the Budget clearly aim to accelerate innovation, manufacturing, and employment while strengthening agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, tourism and culture. Referring to Odisha, the chief minister said that the creation of the 'Rare Earth Corridor' will promote mineral processing, research, and high-technology manufacturing. He said the objective of the corridor is to reduce import dependency of key minerals, promote local industries and support high-tech sectors including electronics and renewable energy. Majhi said the Union Budget also proposed the East Coast Development Corridor, which includes tourism and economic hubs. ''Odisha is likely to benefit due to its coastal geographical and economic connectivity. Five tourism destinations will be created in five eastern states (Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh) and 4,000 e-buses will be provided for public transport,'' he said. This apart, Majhi said the operation of the National Waterway-5 (NW-5) will connect mineral-rich and industrial regions to ports, ensuring cost-effective and environmentally sustainable transport. The proposal for setting up of skill development centres along the waterway will help local youths to get trained and provide employment opportunities, he said. He said the NW-5 will connect the mineral rich region of Talcher and Angul with major industrial and port hubs like Paradip and Dhamra in the state, which will help in efficient and affordable freight movement, thereby reducing the logistical pressure on the road and rail networks. The objective of this initiative is to enhance sustainable inland water transport, enhance connectivity for bulk goods (like minerals and industrial goods) and strengthen Odisha's role as a logistics and industrial hub on the eastern coast. The chief minister said the new initiative, 'City Economic Regions' (CER), will ensure urban-led economic growth and promote regional urban clusters in the state. He said it is proposed to allocate Rs 5,000 crore per CER over the next five years for development. CERs aim to harness the economic potential of cities and surrounding areas by improving infrastructure, services and investment connectivity, and will help implement Odisha's proposed Bhubaneswar–Cuttack–Paradip–Puri urban corridor, he said. This apart, the chief minister said conservation-based tourism initiatives such as 'Turtle Trails' and mountain trails in the Eastern Ghats will protect biodiversity, empower local communities, and position Odisha as a world-class destination for nature and adventure tourism. Majhi, who is also in charge of the finance department, said the Budget has enough provisions to support to MSMEs, startups, and indigenous production leading to further strengthen of the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. He said coastal states like Odisha will also benefit from schemes and support measures announced for coconut, cashew and sandalwood under high value-added agriculture to boost farmer income, productivity and rural employment. Addressing a press conference, BJP Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and expressed gratitude on behalf of the people of the state. ''All sectors such as farmers, women, youth, salaried workers, middle class, business, MSME, healthcare, employment, education, defence have been given importance in the Budget,'' Samal said.

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