Bhubaneswar, January 24: NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery lauded Odisha’s reform-driven governance and praised Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s leadership during a meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan.

Bery highlighted Odisha’s strong fiscal health, noting that the state has emerged as one of India’s top performers in financial management. This stability, he said, has created a favorable environment for industrial growth and investment. He also emphasized Bhubaneswar’s potential to become a model city, recommending global best practices—such as integrated urban planning inspired by the “Texas model”—to enhance sewage management, cleanliness, green spaces, and sustainable infrastructure.

Key Areas of Collaboration with NITI Aayog

Bery commended Odisha’s proactive engagement with NITI Aayog across several domains:

• Transition to green energy
• Data-driven governance
• Reforms in the skilling ecosystem
• Tribal empowerment through value chain development
• Innovative projects like Living Labs under the Frontier Tech Lab

NITI Aayog Member Dr. Arvind Virmani also praised Odisha’s forward-looking policies and its commitment to inclusive, sustainable growth.

Odisha’s Development Priorities

Chief Minister Majhi reaffirmed Odisha’s readiness to embark on its next phase of inclusive growth. He underscored the state’s achievements in infrastructure and connectivity—particularly in roads, irrigation, power, and logistics—which are fueling industrial expansion while strengthening rural development.

Majhi outlined Odisha’s strategic focus on:

• Empowering MSMEs
• Developing manufacturing clusters
• Attracting investments
• Generating employment through skill development aligned with local economic potential

Vision for the Bhubaneswar–Cuttack–Puri–Paradip Economic Region

The Chief Minister sought NITI Aayog’s support for the ambitiousBhubaneswar–Cuttack–Puri–Paradip Economic Region (BCPPER), envisioned as a major growth engine for the state. With nearly 90 priority projects, the initiative aims to transform Odisha’s urban and industrial landscape. Majhi requested guidance and assistance, including funding through the Urban Challenge Fund, to bring this vision to life.

Reiterating Odisha’s priorities, Majhi stressed the state’s commitment to ease of doing business and investment facilitation, in line with the National Reform Agenda. He expressed confidence that a strengthened partnership with NITI Aayog would accelerate Odisha’s journey toward inclusive growth, industrial development, and improved quality of life for its citizens.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Principal Secretary (Finance)  Sanjib Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Saswat Mishra, and Development Commissioner, Shri D.K. Singh. Together, they reviewed Odisha’s reform initiatives and strategic projects aimed at driving inclusive and sustainable growth