Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday unveiled a new industrial roadmap for Odisha while announcing the launch of the ‘Go East’ initiative, a platform aimed at accelerating industrialisation across Eastern and Northeastern India through greater regional collaboration and faster investment facilitation.
Addressing the CII Eastern Regional Council Meeting 2026, Majhi said ‘Go East’—short for Government of Odisha – Eastern Investment Accelerator and Special Task Force—will create new opportunities for industries from Eastern and Northeastern states to invest in Odisha while retaining their production base and markets in their respective states.
The Chief Minister said Odisha has made significant strides in industrial development over the past two years and expressed confidence that the state would emerge as Eastern India’s leading industrial destination within the next five years.
As part of the initiative, the state government will establish an independent high-level Special Task Force to expedite investment proposals. A dedicated ‘Go East Cell’ will also be set up within the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL), while a specialised ‘Go Swift’ digital module will be introduced to enable real-time monitoring of project approvals and implementation.
Majhi said the initiative is expected to channel substantial investments into Odisha’s border districts, paving the way for the development of new Industrial Growth Centres and boosting local economies.
The Chief Minister also announced key amendments to the state’s Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR)-2022, extending priority status to non-mineral-based industries in 15 economically backward districts, including Balangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Kandhamal, Boudh and Gajapati. The move is aimed at promoting balanced regional development by encouraging industries beyond mineral-rich areas.
Highlighting the changing economic landscape, Majhi said India’s future growth story would increasingly be driven by Eastern India, supported by abundant natural resources, agricultural strength, an extensive coastline and a young workforce. He said Odisha’s ‘Samruddha Odisha 2036’ vision is aligned with the national goal of ‘Vikshit Bharat 2047’, with the state positioning itself as the most investor-friendly destination in the region.
The Chief Minister said the government has undertaken major regulatory reforms through Deregulation 1.0 and 2.0, reducing the average time required to establish industries from around 400 days to less than 160 days. The government now aims to bring this down to under 100 days.
According to Majhi, the state has approved 477 investment projects worth nearly ₹9.5 lakh crore since June 2024, with the projects expected to generate employment for around six lakh people. Of these, projects worth more than ₹3.11 lakh crore across 12 proposals have already been grounded and are in the implementation or inauguration stage.
He said Odisha is steadily diversifying beyond its traditional mineral-based economy by expanding into sectors such as steel, aluminium, chemicals, petrochemicals centred around Paradip, semiconductors and electronics.
Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain said Odisha’s industry-friendly policies, coupled with a large skilled workforce, have strengthened the state’s investment ecosystem. He said the government is aligning skill development programmes with industry requirements to ensure the availability of trained manpower and expressed confidence that the ‘Go East’ initiative would accelerate industrial growth in border and underdeveloped districts.
Earlier, Industries Department Additional Chief Secretary Hemant Sharma presented Odisha’s industrial growth and investment achievements before CII members. He highlighted the state’s strengthened single-window clearance system, rapid project implementation and improvements in industrial infrastructure, air connectivity and port facilities, stating that Odisha has emerged as a manufacturing gateway for Eastern India as well as the country.
The conference was attended by Government Chief Whip Saroj Kumar Pradhan, IPICOL Managing Director Aboli Sunil Naravane, CII Eastern Regional Vice Chairman Rudra Chatterjee, CII Odisha State Council Chairman Anil Kumar Singh and leading representatives from industry.
