By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR :With the aim of industrial development of Odisha, attracting foreign investment to the state and creating massive employment for the youth, a delegation led by Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi went on a three-day visit to UAE (United Arab Emirates) for ‘Odisha Investors’ Meet – UAE 2026′. This UAE visit has brought tremendous success to Odisha. A total of 24 investment proposals have been received in the state in this investors’ summit by participating in about 52 meetings with 160 prominent investors, industry leaders and established business houses from the UAE and the world. Through these proposals, an investment of about Rs. 2,43,162 crore will come to the state and this can create more than 8,95,000 employment opportunities. This has opened new opportunities in the fields of aluminium and downstream industries, critical minerals, green energy, logistics, food processing, textiles, chemicals and other developed sectors. The UAE visit will be a historic and highly successful chapter for the industrial world of Odisha, said State Industries Minister Shri Sampada Chandra Swain.
Addressing a press conference at the state office, Shri Swain said that; Converting investment proposals into projects, facilitating industrial establishment and creating employment opportunities for the youth are the main goals of our government. Currently, the industrial progress of Odisha has become quite remarkable. Since our government took charge, we have approved industrial projects worth about 10 lakh thousand crore rupees and with the potential to create more than 6 lakh 30 thousand jobs. This record has never been seen in the 25-year history of Odisha’s industry.
We have approved industrial projects in 10 major sectoral groups. Our government’s goal is holistic development. We are promoting industrialization in all 30 districts of the state from Malkangiri to Mayurbhanj and from Sundargarh to Jagatsinghpur. Our government is giving special importance not only to approving industrial projects, but also to making the projects a reality. So far, 151 industrial projects worth about Rs 3.12 lakh crore have been inaugurated and foundation stones have been laid, in which more than 2.4 lakh jobs are likely to be created, said Shri Swain.
The industrialization of the state was in a state of stagnation during the previous government. The government had no internal will to establish industries. In the last 10 years of the BJD government (2014-24), it was able to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 370 projects with an investment of only Rs 3.26 lakh crore. But our BJP government, by emphasizing the establishment of new-age industries, environment-friendly industries and labor-intensive industries along with traditional industries, has been able to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 151 industrial projects worth about Rs 3.12 lakh crore in the state in just 27 months (from June 2024 to present). If we compare, during the previous government, 37 projects and a capital of Rs 32,620 crore were invested annually. The process of surpassing the pace of the last ten years in two years has begun. Shri Swain said that the opposition parties should measure this not through political lenses, but through real data.
Our government has been able to bring back industrial projects that were withdrawn from the state due to the previous government’s irresponsibility and lack of internal will to establish industries. POSCO is a prime example of this. In the coming days, JSW and POSCO are going to jointly establish steel plants in Keonjhar and Dhenkanal. Is this not the real picture of a changed Odisha, asked Minister Shri Swain.
After our government took charge in 2024, investors’ meet and roadshows were organized in Delhi, Mumbai and Singapore before organizing the ‘Utkarsh Odisha Conclave’. In Singapore, our focus was on technology, digital services, electronics, semiconductors, manufacturing, textiles, logistics, petrochemicals, skill development and port infrastructure industries. In the roadshow organized in Delhi in April 2025, investment proposals worth Rs. 98,880 crore were received, which will create 67,000 employment opportunities. In the Hyderabad Investors’ Meet in December 2025, investment proposals worth Rs. 66,781 crore were received, which has created 56,340 employment opportunities. We also held a roadshow in Kolkata on January 17, 2026.
There, investment proposals worth Rs 1,00,317 crore were received, while 90,752 jobs will be created. In the Rourkela Investors Meet in January 2026, investment proposals worth Rs 5,028 crore were received, while 20,427 jobs are likely to be created. In the Gujarat Road Show in May 2026, investment proposals worth Rs 48,330 crore were received, while 67,838 jobs will be created. Through the “Odisha Food Pro 2026” organized in Delhi in August 2026, we were able to bring investment proposals worth Rs 66,392 crore to the state, while more than 54,000 job opportunities can be created. Shri Swain said that the trend of these outreach programs has been going on for the last 2 years.
The BJP government has organized the ‘Utkarsha Odisha Conclave’, which has received 593 proposals in 20 different sectors with a total investment proposal of Rs 16.73 lakh crore. This is an all-time record in the history of Odisha industry. Our government has started efforts to make Odisha a leading state in the country in the textile and apparel sector. Through Odisha Tex-2025, 33 MoUs have been signed in the textile and apparel sector, bringing in a total investment of Rs 7,808 crore to the state.
Similarly, by organizing the ‘Odisha Pharma Sammelan 2025’ conference for investment in new age sectors like pharmaceuticals and medical devices, our government has formulated the ‘Odisha Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Policy 2025’. Through the Odisha Pharma Sammelan 2025 conference, 69 projects have come to the state with an investment of Rs 7,043 crore. Minister Shri Swain asserted that our government is not limited to promoting traditional industries only, but is also actively working to establish multi-purpose industries in the state.
On the issue of industrial development, the previous government used to tell elaborate stories. Calling every step of our government a photo-op reflects the political frustration of the BJD. Asking questions is the right of a democracy, but listening to answers is also the responsibility of a democracy.
BJD had enough opportunities, but did not work. But our government believes in work, not words. Our answer is clear – projects are coming, investments are being made and employment is being created. According to the recently released CMI report, Odisha is at the second position in attracting investors, while according to the NITI Aayog report, Odisha is the best performing state. Now, through rapid industrialization, we will realize the dream of a prosperous Odisha by 2036, said Minister Shri Swain.State Spokesperson Shri Tapan Chand, Anil Biswal and State Media Coordinator Sujit Kumar Das were prominently present on the occasion.
