Finance
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi unveiled a new industrial roadmap for Odisha on Friday, coinciding with the launch of the ‘Go East’ initiative, a platform aimed at accelerating industrialisation in Eastern and Northeastern India through greater regional collaboration and faster investment facilitation.
Majhi, speaking at the CII Eastern Regional Council Meeting 2026, stated that ‘Go East’—short for Government of Odisha – Eastern Investment Accelerator and Special Task Force—will create new opportunities for industries from Eastern and Northeastern states to invest in Odisha while maintaining their production base and markets in those states.
The Chief Minister stated that Odisha has made great progress in industrial development over the last two years and expressed optimism that the state will emerge as Eastern India’s premier industrial destination within the next five years.
As part of the program, the state government would form an independent, high-level Special Task Force to expedite investment applications. A specialized ‘Go East Cell’ will be established inside the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL), and a specialised ‘Go Swift’ digital module will be implemented to allow real-time monitoring of project approvals and implementation.
Majhi stated that the project is likely to attract significant investments into Odisha’s border districts, paving the door for the establishment of new Industrial Growth Centres and bolstering local economies.
The Chief Minister also announced significant changes to the state’s Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR)-2022, granting priority status to non-mineral-based companies in 15 economically disadvantaged districts such as Balangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Kandhamal, Boudh, and Gajapati. The move aims to promote balanced regional development by supporting enterprises outside of mineral-rich areas.
Majhi highlighted the changing economic landscape, stating that Eastern India will increasingly drive India’s future growth story, aided by enormous natural resources, agricultural strength, a long coastline, and a young workforce. He said Odisha’s ‘Samruddha Odisha 2036’ vision is aligned with the national goal of ‘Vikshit Bharat 2047’, with the state positioning itself as the most investor-friendly destination in the region.
The Chief Minister stated that the government has implemented important regulatory reforms through Deregulation 1.0 and 2.0, decreasing the average time necessary to develop industries from approximately 400 days to less than 160 days. The government now intends to reduce this to under 100 days.
Majhi reports that since June 2024, the state has approved 477 investment projects totaling about ₹9.5 lakh crore. These projects are estimated to create employment opportunities for approximately six lakh people. Over ₹3.11 lakh crore in projects spanning 12 proposals have been approved and are now being implemented or inaugurated.
He stated that Odisha is steadily diversifying beyond its core mineral-based economy by expanding into industries such as steel, aluminum, chemicals, petrochemicals centering around Paradip, semiconductors and electronics.
Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain said Odisha’s industry-friendly policies, coupled with a large skilled workforce, have strengthened the state’s investment ecosystem. He said the government is aligning skill development programmes with industry requirements to ensure the availability of trained manpower and expressed confidence that the ‘Go East’ initiative would accelerate industrial growth in border and underdeveloped districts.
Earlier, Industries Department Additional Chief Secretary Hemant Sharma briefed CII members on Odisha’s industrial growth and investment successes. He cited the state’s stronger single-window clearance system, speedy project implementation, and improvements in industrial infrastructure, aviation connectivity, and port facilities, claiming that Odisha has emerged as a manufacturing hub for both Eastern India and the country.
Government Chief Whip Saroj Kumar Pradhan, IPICOL Managing Director Aboli Sunil Naravane, CII Eastern Regional Vice Chairman Rudra Chatterjee, CII Odisha State Council Chairman Anil Kumar Singh, and other industry leaders attended the seminar.
