Odisha CM seeks ₹10,000 crore special package from Centre to develop tourist hotspots

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi called on the Centre to allocate a special package of ₹10,000 crore for the state’s tourism development, and emphasising that this amount in investments was required to build world-class tourism infrastructure. He made the request during a pre-budget meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, which took place in Rajasthan on December 20.

“We need about Rs 10,000 crore of investment to create a world-class tourism infrastructure across the state. I request the Centre to announce a special package for the development of tourism in Odisha in the 2025-26 budget,” Majhi said, PTI citied a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office as saying.

ଆଜି ମାନ୍ୟବର କେନ୍ଦ୍ର ଅର୍ଥମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀମତି ନିର୍ମଳା ସୀତାରମଣଙ୍କ ଅଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷତାରେ ରାଜସ୍ଥାନର ଜୈସଲମେର ଠାରେ ଅନୁଷ୍ଠିତ ପ୍ରାକ-ବଜେଟ୍ ପରାମର୍ଶ ବୈଠକରେ ଯୋଗଦେଲି। ନିମ୍ନୋକ୍ତ କିଛି ଗୁରୁତ୍ୱପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ପ୍ରସଙ୍ଗକୁ ବୈଠକରେ ଉପସ୍ଥାପନ କରିଛି ଏବଂ ମାନ୍ୟବର କେନ୍ଦ୍ର ଅର୍ଥମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଉପସ୍ଥାପିତ ସମସ୍ତ ଦାବି ଏବଂ ପରାମର୍ଶଗୁଡିକୁ ଅନୁଧ୍ୟାନ… pic.twitter.com/MNKmJpdUdI

— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) December 20, 2024

In addition to tourism, the Chief Minister highlighted the need for support from the Union government to address the state’s urbanisation challenges. “Odisha’s urbanisation is much lower than the national average. Cities are the engines of growth, and migration of large populations from villages to cities is inevitable. This requires huge capital investment, for which support from the Union government will be necessary,” Majhi explained.

The Odisha CM sought approval for the establishment of two new industrial townships — Gopalpur (Salt Pan Land) and Jharsuguda — to boost economic growth in the southern and western parts of the state.

The Chief Minister emphasised that as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, Odisha is poised to be a key growth engine for the nation in the coming years. However, achieving this goal would require substantial investment in critical infrastructure such as industrial parks, railways, roads, ports, airports and tourist hotspots.

Moreover, Majhi called for a dedicated scheme under the ‘Purvodaya’ initiative to foster infrastructure development in the eastern states. He also requested the inclusion of previously overlooked blocks in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts in the Aspirational Blocks programme.

“The expectations of people are very high. People of Odisha want to see transformation in healthcare, education, and infrastructure,” Majhi said, underscoring the aspirations of the state’s citizens.