Bhubaneswar, Mar 12th: Coinciding with the annual meeting, CII Odisha hosted a session titled “Odisha Leading: Partnerships for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth.” The session highlighted the importance of strong collaboration between government and industry to accelerate industrial development, strengthen innovation ecosystems and promote inclusive economic growth in the state.
The session opened with remarks by Mr Anil Kumar Singh, Chairman, CII Odisha State Council, who highlighted Odisha’s industrial growth, diversification into sectors like electronics, IT, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing, and the importance of collaboration between government, industry and institutions. He also noted CII Odisha’s efforts in policy advocacy, investment promotion, and capacity-building initiatives.
Delivering the inaugural address, Shri Sampad Chandra Swain, Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education, Government of Odisha, emphasised that sustainable economic growth requires strong partnerships between government and industry. He highlighted the need for collaboration between large enterprises and MSMEs and stressed balancing economic ambition with social responsibility to ensure inclusive development. The minister noted that the state government is actively engaging with stakeholders in sectors such as textiles and apparel, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, logistics and advanced manufacturing to build specialised industrial ecosystems and attract investment.
Hon’ble Minister also underlined the government’s focus on promoting the industrial park model and developing regional industrial corridors across Odisha to support the next phase of industrial expansion. He added that the state is encouraging greater participation of women in the industrial workforce while prioritising skill development initiatives to create a future-ready talent pool.
Smt Anu Garg, IAS, Chief Secretary of the Government of Odisha, emphasised strengthening infrastructure and skilling to support the state’s economic transformation, highlighting the need to expand ports, airports and road connectivity, and referring to the proposed Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Paradeep-Puri Economic Corridor.
She noted that Odisha’s GDP has crossed ₹10 lakh crore and that NITI Aayog has recognised the state as the top performer in the Fiscal Health Index. She also highlighted opportunities in real estate, tourism and the Odisha AI Mission, encouraging investors to “Think India, Think Odisha.”
Shri Hemant Sharma, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary of the Departments of Home, Industries and I&PR, Government of Odisha, outlined the state’s industrial roadmap aligned with Vision 2036 and Vision 2047, noting that manufacturing contributes about 47% to Odisha’s GSDP while agriculture contributes around 20%. He highlighted Odisha’s strength in minerals and mining, being a leading producer of iron ore, coal, steel and bauxite, and pointed to growth opportunities in food processing, textiles and packaging.
He added that the state will require nearly ₹30 lakh crore in investments over the next 15-20 years, with focus on metal downstream industries, chemicals and petrochemicals, textiles, and emerging sectors such as shipbuilding, aerospace and defence.
Mr Mehul Mohanka, Deputy Chairman, CII Eastern Region, also addressed the gathering and praised Odisha’s progress, attributing it to collaboration between government, industry, academia and communities. He highlighted the state’s achievements in economic transformation, governance, and infrastructure, noting its development model balances industrial growth with social inclusion and sustainability.
During the event, the CII Industry Carnival 2025 Awards were presented to recognise outstanding achievements and innovations by industries across the state.
The Inaugural concluded with closing remarks by Manikanta Naik, Vice Chairman of the CII Odisha State Council, who reaffirmed CII’s commitment to working closely with the Government of Odisha and industry stakeholders to drive sustainable industrial growth and economic prosperity in the state.
The meeting also featured a special interactive session titled “Future Ready Odisha – Interaction with Young Minds,” moderated by Mr C Chandru, CEO, Vedanta Ltd. Young entrepreneurs including Mr Swayam Baral, Managing Director, Swadesh Infra Pvt Ltd and Mr Vibhor Sharma of Sreechem Resins shared insights on startup growth, innovation, mentorship and access to capital.
The meeting was attended by senior government officials, industry leaders, startups and members of the business community.
