Bhubaneswar, 14 October (H.S.): Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 46 medium and large industrial projects worth ₹39,383 crore across 14 districts, paving the way for 42,512 employment opportunities.

Addressing an industrial event at Kalinganagar in Jajpur district, Majhi described the projects as a “golden chapter” in the state’s second industrial revolution. He said the government was translating investment commitments into operational industries and creating employment opportunities for Odia youth.

“While the Opposition is busy with politics, we are focused on progress,” the Chief Minister said, asserting that Odisha would emerge as one of the country’s leading manufacturing hubs.

Majhi said the state aims to achieve a $500-billion economy over the next decade under its ‘Samruddha Odisha’ vision, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Purvodaya initiative.

The projects span Angul, Bargarh, Balasore, Boudh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Keonjhar, Khordha, Mayurbhanj, Puri, Sambalpur and Sundargarh.

Major industrial initiatives include carbon steel and stainless steel projects by Jindal Stainless Limited (JSL), along with Tata Steel’s downstream facilities, slurry pipeline, grinding and filtration units. Projects involving Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys Limited (IMFA) and other steel companies will further strengthen Odisha’s industrial base.

The Chief Minister said the government was promoting balanced regional development, with steel industries in Keonjhar and Sundargarh, renewable energy projects in Angul and Dhenkanal, food processing in Khordha, and tourism and hospitality projects in several other districts.

According to the state government, 151 projects have been inaugurated or grounded in less than two years, involving investments exceeding ₹3.11 lakh crore and opening up employment opportunities for more than 2.40 lakh people. Including Wednesday’s projects, the total value of projects grounded in the state has crossed ₹3.50 lakh crore.

Majhi said the government was prioritising labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, apparel, food processing and pharmaceuticals to reduce distress migration. Textile parks are being developed in Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Balangir, Ganjam and Bhadrak, while the World Skill Centre is training young people in emerging sectors, including automation, renewable energy, electronics and digital services.

He also urged industries to provide more employment opportunities to women.

The Chief Minister said 560 industrial proposals involving investments of more than ₹12.07 lakh crore had been approved, with the potential to generate around seven lakh jobs. He added that the government was simplifying project approvals through its single-window system and providing support to investors throughout the project life cycle.

Cooperation, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta highlighted Jajpur’s industrial potential, while Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain stressed the importance of developing a skilled workforce to meet emerging industrial requirements.

The event was attended by Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Jajpur MP Dr Rabindra Narayan Behera, local MLAs, JSL Managing Director Abhyuday Jindal, IMFA Managing Director Subhrakant Panda and other officials and industry representatives.

Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda