By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: ‘Purrooday’ is the engine of growth for ‘Developed India’. To realise the potential amidst these challenges and to take full advantage of the opportunities, all must come together, said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, while addressing the third edition of the International Conference on ‘Purrooday Vision – 2025’ held in Bhubaneswar today through a video message.
Addressing the event, which was jointly organised by the Ministry of External Affairs, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and The Energy Forum (TEF), Shri Pradhan said that such an initiative is a welcome development in the spirit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s ‘Purrooday’ initiative. The Prime Minister had first laid the foundation stone of ‘Purrooday’ when he dedicated the Indian Paradip Refinery to the nation on February 6, 2016. The Union Budget 2024 also brought out this Purrooday scheme with a focus on the holistic development of the Eastern region comprising Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. The main objective of this initiative is to transform this region into a growth engine of a developed India.
Highlighting the important role of the Gateway to the East and the Energy Security Zone, he said that Odisha has emerged as the “Gateway to the East” today with major ports like Paradip, Dhamra and Gopalpur and mineral-based industries. He emphasized that port-based development and Blue Economy are the top priorities of our government. Economic Corridors are not just roads and ports, they also represent the flow of energy, data, finance and ideas. Eastern India is rapidly emerging as a strategic energy corridor. Today, more than 9,300 km of petroleum and product pipelines are operational in India. These pipelines, along with the ports of Paradip, Dhamra, Haldia and Vizag, have become powerful gateways for crude oil, LNG and petrochemical trade. This integrated network is strengthening energy security and reducing logistics costs. This has become a center of attraction for global investors, creating significant opportunities for energy partnerships between India’s east coast and Southeast Asia.
Shri Pradhan added, Sustainability is another key focus area. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, our government has made extensive policy interventions to address the issues of sustainability and climate change. Clean energy is not just an option, it is the only way forward for a greener tomorrow. Purvoday is not just about growth – it is also about green growth. We are paving the way for a future transformation that integrates green hydrogen, biofuels, low-carbon refining and clean petrochemicals Purvoday with sustainable development.
Emphasizing on the youth resource, Shri Pradhan said, “Our youth have the potential to shape India’s future as India’s global talent pool. The Eastern states are known for their rich human resources. Education and skills are the two main pillars to harness our potential. The region is home to institutions like IITs, NITs, IIMs, IJR, NIGER and other nationally important institutions. These institutions are producing high-quality human resources, which contribute to nation building. The recent collaboration between the Government of Odisha and the Global Financial Technology Network, Singapore has opened up new opportunities for the youth of the country.”
This conference will have to think about the way forward for the future. How can we prepare our youth for the future? How can we harness the potential of this resource-rich region? How can the private sector be more actively involved in the development of the region? Shri Pradhan highlighted. Finally, Shri Pradhan commended the Ministry of External Affairs, TEF and CII for successfully organizing this international conference.
