Majhi showcases Odisha’s growth, skilling at NITI meet

Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday outlined Odisha’s key achievements at the Governing Council of NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while appreciating the Centre’s support and its visible transformational impact across the state.Highlighting the PM’s ‘Purvodaya’ vision to position eastern India as the country’s next growth frontier, Majhi said, “Odisha is proud to be at the forefront of this transformation.”He also lauded the Centre’s proactive steps to safeguard India’s energy security amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, citing diversification of energy sources, promotion of alternative fuels and electric vehicles, and prudent management of domestic supplies to strengthen resilience against external shocks.Under the double-engine govt, Majhi said Odisha has sustained robust growth while maintaining fiscal discipline, recording 7.9% economic growth in 2025-26, while keeping fiscal deficit and debt within Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) limits. The state was ranked no. 1 in NITI Aayog’s Fiscal Health Index 2026, reflecting its focus on sound financial management.He credited strong central support for accelerating infrastructure expansion, noting the allocation of Rs 10,928 crore for railway development in the Union Budget 2026-27 and ongoing projects worth over Rs 90,000 crore aimed at boosting connectivity and economic activity. Odisha is also emerging as a key maritime and logistics hub under Sagarmala and PM Gati Shakti, with projects such as the proposed Bahuda deep-sea port and National Waterway-5 expected to enhance multimodal connectivity and reduce logistics costs.Majhi highlighted Odisha’s growing industrial base, pointing to the approval of two semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission, which he said would position the state as a hub for electronics and advanced manufacturing.Focusing on the meeting’s theme — “Inclusive Human Development for Viksit Bharat @2047” — the chief minister emphasised that infrastructure-led growth must be complemented by investments in people. He said Odisha’s development framework rests on wellness, inclusiveness and prosperity, with a strong push on health, education and skilling.In early childhood care, the state has rolled out initiatives such as ‘Ama Kuni Pila’ for children aged 0-3, alongside programmes promoting caregiver awareness, mother-tongue learning and Anganwadi strengthening. The govt is also exploring the use of artificial intelligence to deliver personalised learning and track child development. In school education, Odisha has operationalised over 44,000 Sishu Vatika classrooms covering 3.17 lakh children and conducted large-scale enrolment drives reaching 11 lakh families. The govt is setting up model primary schools in every gram panchayat, while schemes such as Mukhyamantri Poshan Yojana and financial incentives for tribal students aim to improve retention and equity.The state has also expanded mother tongue-based multilingual education in 21 tribal languages and implemented targeted support schemes for girls’ education, including conditional cash transfers linked to academic milestones.On skilling, Majhi said Odisha is building a multi-tier ecosystem spanning ITIs, higher technical education and advanced skill training. Looking ahead, Majhi said Odisha will focus on aligning human capital with emerging economic opportunities by strengthening industry-academia partnerships and expanding apprenticeship programmes.