By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:The challenge of the hour is to create a prosperous economic chapter by leveraging Odisha’s immense potential such as natural resources, talented youth, long coastline ports and new-age technology. Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has called upon the entrepreneurial community to come forward to develop Odisha not just as a raw material supplier state, but also as a ‘knowledge-based economy’ and ‘manufacturing hub’.
Addressing the ‘Times Business Awards-Odisha’ event held in Bhubaneswar today, Shri Pradhan said, “The proper utilization of the immense potential of the state will make Odisha a prosperous economic powerhouse in the coming days. Empowering local resources through the application of science and technology and connecting them to global markets is the biggest need of the hour.”
Stating that Odisha has immense potential in the new era economy, he said that the state should not limit itself to making steel from iron ore but should move towards ‘specialty steel’ and high-end manufacturing. Odisha is going to create new history especially in the fields of critical minerals, semiconductors, energy, agritech, edutech, defence technology and fintech. Steps have also been taken to produce ‘gallium’ from bauxite waste in Koraput, which is very important in the semiconductor world. On the other hand, Odisha is at the center of the Prime Minister’s ‘Purrooday’ vision. He called for developing Odisha as a ‘knowledge-based economy’ and a global ‘manufacturing hub’ by maintaining proper coordination of the state’s ports, natural resources and technology. We are creating a large ecosystem with the talents of educational institutions like Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur.
Shri Pradhan opined that Odisha should not only be a supplier of raw materials but should also focus on value-added manufacturing and employment generation. Our youth is our biggest asset. They have new ideas, energy and passion. If they are equipped with new age skills, we can realize the dream of “Developed Odisha” by 2036. Shri Pradhan urged all the entrepreneurs to focus not only on business but also on creating maximum employment opportunities, keeping in mind the goals of the next 10 years.
Elaborating on the country’s economy, Shri Pradhan said that despite the geopolitical instability in the world, India’s economy is thriving at a rapid pace. Despite the geopolitical instability in the world, India’s economy is thriving today. From independence in 1947 to 2014, our country had reached a $2 trillion economy. But under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has added another $2 trillion from 2014 to 2024, that is, in just 10 years. Today, India has emerged as the fourth largest economy in the world, which is the result of the strong political will of the Prime Minister.
At the ‘Times Business Awards-Odisha’ programme, Shri Pradhan honoured entrepreneurs from various sectors of the state. Congratulating the award winners, he said that Times of India, as a responsible media house in the country, not only publishes news, but also promotes and brings to the fore the talents in the society. The individuals who received the awards today are not only ‘wealth creators’, but also a source of inspiration for our state. He expressed that through their efforts, Odisha’s rich natural resources and excellent human resources will give us a unique identity on the world map.
