Bhubaneswar, May 24 (PTI) Asserting that Odisha will be the growth engine in the country's development journey over the next 25 years, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday said that the state aspires to become a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2047.

Majhi said this while speaking at the NIITI Aayog Governing Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

"I assure you Sir (PM), Odisha will be the growth engine in the country's development journey over the next twenty-five years," Majhi was quoted saying in a press release issued by the chief minister's office here.

Noting that India's economy is the fastest-growing among all major global economies with a growth rate of 6.5 per cent in 2024-25, Majhi said: "During the same period with the double engine push, the state has grown at 7.2 per cent. I am deeply grateful to the Prime Minister for visiting Odisha five times in the last 11 months which shows his commitment to the development of Odisha." While thanking the Centre for sanctioning new railway projects worth Rs 73,000 crore and National Highways projects worth Rs 4,600 crore, another Rs 17,500 crore projects in the pipeline to be sanctioned, Majhi said that the state in close coordination with the Centre is actively implementing PM USHA, PM SHRI, Mamata- PMMVY, NEP 2020 and PM JAY.

As his government will complete one year in office next month in June, Majhi said his government has laid the foundation for 'Samruddha' (developed) Odisha, 2036 – a vision for a prosperous and empowered Odisha as per the mantra of Prime Minister Modi's 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas'.

He said the year 2036 will mark 100 years of Odisha's formation and 2047, the centenary of India's independence. "Our Vision 2036 and 2047 documents - our ambitious resolve to build a prosperous, developed, and proud Odisha – a 'Viksit Odisha' that shines brightly within a 'Viksit Bharat'. The people of Odisha aspire to see Odisha's economy touch USD 500 billion by 2036 and soar to USD 1.5 trillion by 2047," he said.

Revealing that Odisha's Vision document will be launched on June 12, the day his government completes one year in Odisha, Majhi said the Odisha's Vision document is a comprehensive, actionable, and inclusive report with suggestions received from over 3,20,000 people of the state through an online portal and analysed using AI.

Majhi said as per Odisha's vision, his government has started working to bring all our cultivable areas under irrigation to raise agricultural productivity and farmer's income and focus on rapid urbanisation as an engine of growth. "We look forward to building world-class roads, railways and air connectivity with the support from the Centre. We seek to leverage the state's long coastline with port-based special economic zones, as a part of global value chain, to drive economic growth and create employment opportunities," he said.

The chief minister also said that the state is making all-out efforts to attract investment in textiles, garments, food processing industries and also new-age industries for large-scale employment generation. "The state has the best in class skilling ecosystem for which 'Skilled in Odisha' is a global brand name and we are 'Skilling for the World'. Odisha is emerging as an ITeS and global capability centres hub," he said.

On empowerment of women, the chief minister said the state government has put in place an inclusive social security system through schemes like 'Subhadra' for women in the age group of 18-59 years. The allocation for education and health sectors has been substantially enhanced to make our future citizens educated, skilled and healthy to contribute to our state's growth process.

This apart, Majhi said: "We have formulated schemes and programmes to improve the quality of life of the people through provision of basic amenities like roads, pucca houses, electricity, drinking water, telecom services, sports infrastructure and other social and economic infrastructure along with livelihood opportunities for all." On achievements during the last 11 months, Majhi informed the meeting that Odisha has brought out development of Hirakud in the western region as a Special Tourism Zone. "We also intend to specifically develop the Buddhist circuit in Odisha. The integrated master plan will be taken up for iconic destinations with a phased execution," he said.

The CM said the state government was committed to provide 40 per cent urbanisation by 2036 and 60 per cent by 2047 from the current 17 per cent. "We plan to develop a metropolitan region of 7,000 sq km around Bhubaneswar, Khurda, Jatni, Cuttack, Paradip, and Puri, with similar plans for other growth centres," the chief minister said. PTI AAM AAM RG