Bhubaneswar: A high-level meeting to assess the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on Odisha’s economy was convened today at Lok Seva Bhawan under the chairpersonship of Chief Secretary Anu Garg.
Senior officials from various departments participated in the meeting and held detailed deliberations on the macroeconomic and sectoral implications of the conflict for both India and Odisha. Participants noted that the Middle East region forms a significant portion of India’s trade basket.
A prolonged conflict is expected to trigger a rise in crude oil prices, supply chain disruptions, higher freight and insurance costs, and possible currency depreciation. These factors could lead to increased inflation, widening of the current account deficit, and slower overall economic growth.
It was observed that a substantial share of Odisha’s exports is directed towards West Asian markets. Key sectors likely to be affected include marine exports, agricultural produce, processed minerals, chemicals, and allied industries. Industries may face raw material shortages and escalating production costs. The fisheries sector has already begun showing signs of stress due to declining demand from West Asian countries. Additionally, rising energy and fertilizer costs are expected to impact agriculture and allied sectors.
The meeting discussed in detail the various measures initiated by the Government of India to ensure energy security, stabilise supply chains, facilitate exports, and provide risk mitigation support to exporters. Chief Secretary Garg directed all concerned departments and enforcement agencies to strictly implement these measures in the state. Emphasis was laid on maintaining stability and discipline in the supply chain of essential commodities like petrol, diesel, and LPG, while taking proactive confidence-building steps to prevent panic among consumers.
Garg stressed the need for continuous monitoring of the evolving situation and its impact on the state economy. She instructed departments to closely track sectoral developments, ensure timely policy interventions, and actively explore alternative markets and supply sources to minimise risks.
The Chief Secretary also emphasised accelerating the rollout of PNG (Piped Natural Gas) distribution systems and setting up additional LNG terminals at state ports to meet future energy requirements. She called for ramping up coal production to reduce dependence on LPG and other petroleum products.
The Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Department was advised to review the availability of Urea and NPK fertilizers in all districts, seek additional allocations from the Centre if needed, and promote substitutes such as organic and bio-fertilizers.
Director General of Police assured that strict measures would be taken to maintain law and order around LPG dealerships and petrol pumps across the state. It was also decided in principle to encourage citizens to shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) as an alternative mode of transport and to rapidly expand the EV charging infrastructure network to build buyer confidence.
Development Commissioner-cum-ACS Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Home, Industries, I&PR Department Hemant Sharma, Director General of Police Odisha Yogesh Bahadur Khurania, Principal Secretary FS&CW Department Sanjay Kumar Singh, Commissioner cum Secretary Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, Commissioner cum Secretary MSME Rashmita Panda, along with representatives from Directorate of Export Promotion & Marketing, Odisha Small Industries Corporation, World Trade Centre Bhubaneswar and domain experts, attended the meeting.
