Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President Naveen Patnaik on Thursday claimed that Odisha’s fifth-place ranking in NITI Aayog’s latest Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) reflected the outcome of reforms, fiscal discipline and governance introduced during the BJD government’s tenure.
Referring to the latest IFI report, Patnaik said Odisha had emerged as one of India’s leading investment destinations after transforming from what he described as “bankruptcy” in 2000. He said the achievement was the result of sustained reforms, prudent fiscal management and governance based on the 5T framework.
In a detailed post on X, Patnaik said Odisha secured an overall score of 52.4% in the index, compared with Gujarat’s 56.6%. He described the state’s rise over the past 25 years as a significant milestone in its development journey.
The former CM alleged that the present BJP government was celebrating achievements created during the BJD’s tenure.
He said Odisha’s transformation into an investment destination was driven by consistent policy interventions, financial discipline and governance reforms.
Highlighting the state’s fiscal performance, Patnaik said Odisha had been recognised by NITI Aayog for prudent financial management. He claimed the state’s outstanding liabilities stood at 16% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), while interest payments accounted for only 1.38% of GSDP, the lowest in the country.
Patnaik also claimed that Odisha accounted for nearly half of India’s mineral output and close to one-fourth of the country’s coal production. He said the state’s performance had outpaced several “double-engine” governments on key parameters.
According to Patnaik, the state’s fiscal discipline enabled his government to launch and sustain several welfare programmes without depending on financial assistance from the Centre. He cited schemes such as Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, KALIA, Mission Shakti, skill development initiatives, Odisha School Transformation, tribal welfare programmes, disaster management measures, infrastructure development, irrigation projects, poverty alleviation initiatives and the state’s own food security scheme.
Patnaik thanked the people of Odisha for supporting what he described as the state’s transformation over the past two and a half decades.
The BJD president also criticised the BJP government over its handling of state finances. While saying he was happy that the BJP was celebrating Odisha’s investment ranking, he alleged that the present government was mismanaging public finances and warned that it could push the state back towards the financial situation it had inherited 25 years ago.
