Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the state government is utilising all its capabilities to create a brighter future for the state’s youth by expanding industrialisation and generating employment opportunities within Odisha.
Speaking to media representatives at Bhubaneswar Airport after returning from his UAE visit, Majhi said the government’s core objective is to ensure that the state’s sons and daughters can secure respectable employment in their own homeland after completing their education.
He said the UAE visit has added a new chapter to the government’s industrialisation drive over the past two years and is accelerating efforts to attract capital, create employment and build a prosperous Odisha.
Following the Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave held in Bhubaneswar in January 2025, a dedicated Odisha government team has continued efforts to mobilise investment by visiting Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gujarat and Singapore, the Chief Minister said.
During the UAE visit from September 8 to 12, Majhi, the industries minister, and senior government officials held extensive discussions on capital investment in Odisha across Abu Dhabi and Dubai on September 9, 10 and 11.
The visit included 52 business meetings, comprising six roundtable meetings and 46 one-to-one meetings, with discussions held with nearly 400 industry leaders and representatives.
A total of eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed and 16 investment intents were generated during the visit, securing investment proposals worth Rs 2,43,162 crore for Odisha. These proposals are expected to create 6,18,725 direct employment opportunities.
Including indirect employment, around nine lakh employment opportunities are expected to be generated, according to the CM.
Majhi said that when these proposals are combined with investment proposals worth over Rs 20 lakh crore secured earlier, Odisha’s total investment proposals have now reached Rs 22.5 lakh crore.
The CM also highlighted discussions held with UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the International Investment Council Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, and IHC Managing Director Syed Basar Shueb.
Building on the partnership between IHC and the Adani Group formed on July 2, 2026, MoUs have been signed for 14 new projects in Odisha, Majhi said. He added that efforts are continuing to establish industries in Rayagada and Sundargarh districts for the two companies’ integrated aluminium project.
During the UAE visit, interactions were also held with successful Odia entrepreneurs and the Odia diaspora in the UAE, which the Chief Minister said would further strengthen bilateral business and cultural ties.
Majhi said the state government is continuing its efforts towards the vision of a prosperous Odisha by 2036 and transforming the state into a USD 500 billion economy over the next ten years.
He said employment opportunities are being created for educated youth and necessary skill training is being provided to make them employment-ready for upcoming factories and offices.
The CM also said the government’s next priority, after achieving initial success in attracting investments, is to implement the investment proposals and MoUs at the earliest and begin production.
He said this would create major employment opportunities in Odisha in the coming days.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik, Chief Whip of the ruling party Saroj Kumar Pradhan and several MLAs and other public representatives were among those who felicitated the CM at the airport.
