Latest news with #ViksitOdisha
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Odisha set to reclaim maritime legacy with bold policies
Every year, Odisha proudly celebrates its rich maritime heritage through the grand festival of Balijatra, held on the banks of the Mahanadi River in Cuttack. This vibrant festival commemorates the historic voyages of the Sadhabas, skilled mariners who once set sail on majestic ships called Boitas, forging trade and cultural ties with present-day Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Echoes of these ancient maritime connections still resonate today in shared architectural motifs, artistic traditions, and linguistic traces, a testament to Odisha's enduring maritime influence. Though shifts in trade routes and colonial disruptions diminished Odisha's prominence on the seas, its seafaring spirit has never faded. Today, this proud legacy inspires the vision of 'Viksit Odisha' that reclaims its historic maritime legacy while driving India's economic resurgence. Globally, maritime economies symbolise a nation's logistical strength and trade prowess. Many developed countries have adopted port-led development as a cornerstone of their economic strategies. In fact, over 80 per cent of freight in these nations is transported via waterways, capitalizing on their vast coastlines. India, with a coastline stretching over 7,500 km, boasts of 13 major ports and more than 200 non-major ports. Yet, only about 10 pc of freight movement occurs via waterways, revealing immense untapped potential. Encouragingly, port efficiency in India has seen significant improvement, with average ship dwell time now on par with Singapore and even better than that of the United States which is 7 days, as reported in the World Bank's Logistics Performance Index. Recognising the sector's strategic value, the Government of India launched the Sagarmala Programme in 2015, aimed at modernising ports, enhancing connectivity, promoting port-led industrialisation, and developing coastal communities and inland waterways. Building on this momentum, the Maritime India Vision 2030 has identified over 150 initiatives across themes including infrastructure, logistics efficiency, shipbuilding, coastal shipping, innovation, sustainability, and global collaboration.
Hans India
5 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
ANKUR launched to catalyse urban growth
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday launched ANKUR, a strategic initiative designed to catalyse urban growth across the State. On the occasion, the State's Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department signed MoUs with six leading organisations engaged in the urban development ecosystem in the presence of department minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra. Speaking at the launch, Mahapatra said, 'ANKUR – Atal Network for Knowledge, Urbanisation and Reforms — represents a collective promise to build cities that are efficient, smart and above all, citizen-centric. This is a movement toward a Viksit Odisha, co-authored by communities, institutions and the government alike.' Department's Principal Secretary Usha Padhee said the genesis of ANKUR was not a single moment, but rather a series of reflections, conversations and collaborations. 'It was born out of a growing realisation within our department that the pace and complexity of urbanisation in Odisha required new thinking, new partnerships and new platforms,' she added. Over the past year, through internal consultations and engagements with experts, practitioners and institutions across the country and beyond, a vision began to take shape, she said, adding that ANKUR emerged as an answer to those questions — a platform to co-create solutions, to institutionalise innovation and to sustain partnerships that can carry us through the next decade of urban growth. As Odisha's urban population is projected to triple by 2036, ANKUR has been envisioned as a transformative platform to co-create resilient, livable and future-ready cities. 'ANKUR aligns with the national aspiration of Viksit Bharat @2047, while responding to Odisha's unique socio-economic and urban context. It will strengthen four strategic pillars of urban development - capacity building, knowledge and research, implementation support and innovation,' Padhee said.
Hans India
6 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Odisha govt launches ‘ANKUR' for inclusive and sustainable urbanisation
Bhubaneswar: The state Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UD) on Wednesday launched ANKUR – Atal Network for Knowledge, Urbanisation & Reform, a strategic initiative designed to catalyse inclusive, sustainable, and innovative urban growth across the state. The department, in an official statement, termed the launch of the initiative as a landmark step towards redefining the future of urban development in Odisha. The H&UD Department has signed MoUs with six leading institutions and organisations working in the urban development ecosystem. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, the minister for Housing & Urban Development, who attended the event as Chief Guest, said, 'ANKUR" represents a collective promise, to build cities that are efficient, smart, and above all, citizen-centric. This is a movement towards a 'Viksit Odisha', co-authored by communities, institutions, and government alike.' Usha Padhee, the Principal Secretary, H&UD Department, also noted that the genesis of ANKUR was not a single moment, but rather a series of reflections, conversations, and collaborations. 'It was born from a growing realisation within our department that the pace and complexity of urbanisation in Odisha required new thinking, new partnerships, and new platforms. Over the past year, through internal consultations and engagements with experts, practitioners, and institutions across the country and beyond, a vision began to take shape. ANKUR emerged as an answer to those questions, a platform to co-create solutions, to institutionalise innovation, and to sustain partnerships that can carry us through the next decade of urban growth,' Padhee added. The department also highlighted that as Odisha's urban population is projected to triple by 2036, ANKUR has been envisioned as a transformative platform to co-create resilient, livable, and future-ready cities. Anchored in the values of collaborative governance, ANKUR aligns with the national aspiration of 'Viksit Bharat @2047', while responding to Odisha's unique socio-economic and urban context. The department claimed that it will strengthen four strategic pillars of urban development - capacity building, knowledge and research, implementation support and innovation. As per the official statement, ANKUR will serve as the institutional backbone to drive reform, innovation, and evidence-based urban decision-making in the state. The initiative is poised to become the nerve centre of Odisha's urban reform agenda. With a commitment to decentralisation, inclusivity, and knowledge-led action, the initiative will foster a new era of urban partnerships, ensuring that no city, and no citizen, is left behind.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
CM charts out bold path for cities' growth by 2036
Bhubaneswar: CM Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday announced an ambitious plan to boost Odisha's urbanisation rate from the current 17% to 40% by 2036 and 60% by 2047. The announcement came during his address at the 10th governing council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The centrepiece of this urban transformation includes developing a massive 7,000 sq km metropolitan region — comparable to the size of the Hyderabad Metropolitan region — encompassing Bhubaneswar, Khurda, Jatni, Cuttack, Paradip, and Puri. Similar development plans are in the pipeline for other growth centres across the state. Speaking at the meeting, Majhi outlined his vision for 'Viksit Odisha', targeting to grow the state's economy to $500 billion by 2036 and $1.5 trillion by 2047. "Odisha will be the growth engine in the country's development journey over the next 25 years," Majhi assured. The CM said Vision Odisha 2036 and 2047 documents, incorporating suggestions from over 320,000 citizens and analysed using AI, will be launched on June 12, on the first anniversary of his oath. The CM highlighted several key initiatives, including implementation of the ' ', which has benefitted over 1 crore women with disbursements exceeding Rs 10,000 crore. He also announced plans to fill 1,50,000 govt positions over the next five years. In terms of investment, the recent Utkarsh Odisha Conclave attracted 593 proposals worth Rs 16.73 lakh crore across 20 sectors, with the potential to create 12.88 lakh jobs. The state is also focusing on developing special tourism zones, including the Hirakud region and Buddhist circuit. Majhi expressed gratitude for the Centre's support, noting sanctioned railway projects worth Rs 73,000 crore and National Highways projects valued at Rs 4,600 crore, with additional projects worth Rs 17,500 crore in the pipeline. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Majhi said the vision document was crafted using artificial intelligence to analyse suggestions from over 320,000 citizens through an online portal. "I will personally monitor its implementation," he said. The CM outlined key focus areas, including complete irrigation coverage for cultivable lands, rapid urbanisation, and development of port-based special economic zones along the state's coastline. He emphasised the state's commitment to attracting investments in textiles, garments, food processing, and new-age industries to generate large-scale employment. Majhi highlighted Odisha's leadership in skill development under the "Skilled in Odisha" brand and its emergence as a hub for ITeS and global capability centres. BLURB Odisha Vision document will be released on June 12, the first anniversary of Majhi govt
United News of India
18-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Odisha gears up to celebrate one yr of Govt in June
Bhubaneswar, May 18 (UNI) Odisha is preparing to celebrate the completion of one year of the current government in June with a series of events at the state, district, and block levels. According to official sources, the government will conduct various programmes from June 11 to June 13 to inform the public about the significant achievements made over the past year, particularly in the implementation of various welfare schemes. A state-level public meeting and development exhibition will be held at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar during these three days. Simultaneously, similar events and programmes will be organized at the district and block levels. These events will focus on the implementation and objectives of several government schemes, aiming to raise public awareness about the initiatives undertaken for the welfare of the people. Additionally, exhibitions in collaboration with district administrations and ORMAS will be held over five days. A preparatory meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja directed various government departments to organize thematic and cultural programmes as part of the celebration. The event will include technical discussions, cultural performances, and public meetings. The Department of Information and Public Relations will publish a comprehensive book highlighting the achievements of various departments over the past year. Individual departments have also been advised to release their own publications. The publication will cover a range of topics including village development and mission, agriculture, irrigation, education and training, water resources, and public administration. It will also showcase the success of various public welfare initiatives, particularly in the areas of agriculture, poverty alleviation, and the upliftment of backward classes and marginalized communities. Success stories from key government schemes and initiatives will be shared with the press for broader public dissemination. As part of the celebrations, a special artist camp will be organized by the State Culture Department in collaboration with the Lalit Kala Academy. Furthermore, the Chief Secretary has proposed essay competitions for school and college students on the theme of their vision for "Viksit Odisha by 2033" and "Viksit India by 2047." An official source stated that a committee has been constituted under the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department to oversee and coordinate the entire programme. UNI DP GNK
