Bhubaneswar: Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Wednesday called for inclusive industrial development that creates greater opportunities for youth, women, artisans and first-generation entrepreneurs, with a special focus on promoting entrepreneurship in rural and tribal areas of the state.
Addressing the 41st Foundation Day of the Odisha Assembly of Small and Medium Enterprises (OASME) and its Annual State-Level Conference-2026 as chief guest, Kambhampati said industries should be developed in a manner that provides opportunities to every youth and extends industrial activity beyond major cities to villages and small towns.
Referring to the goals of Developed Odisha 2036 and Developed India 2047, the Governor said development should not be measured merely by the size of industries or the volume of investment, but by the number of opportunities created for people.
He described micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as a powerful medium for translating people’s aspirations into reality, saying the sector is not merely a component of the economy but a major source of employment, livelihoods and economic opportunities. Its strength, he said, lies in taking industrial activity from advanced cities to smaller towns, villages, tribal areas and aspirational districts.
Kambhampati said MSMEs also serve as a bridge between Odisha’s traditional strengths and modern aspirations by connecting artisans with global markets, agricultural produce with value-added industries and local skills with emerging technologies.
The Governor appreciated the steps taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to strengthen the state’s MSME ecosystem. He particularly lauded interest subsidy reimbursement for MSMEs, support for food processing industries and MSME clusters, and initiatives promoting entrepreneurship and technology adoption.
Calling for stronger last-mile delivery of government support, Kambhampati urged the government, financial institutions and industry bodies to improve facilitation, awareness, guidance and assistance at the district level and strengthen local enterprise centres. Entrepreneurs, he said, should have easy access to capital, technology, training and markets.
While highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on entrepreneurship, production and self-reliance, the Governor referred to schemes including PMEGP, MUDRA, CGTMSE, Startup India, Stand-Up India, PM Vishwakarma, RAMP and the MSME Champions programme.
He also appreciated OASME’s initiatives in cluster development, common infrastructure, technology adoption, skill development, market access, industrial exhibitions and buyer-seller meets.
Calling for expansion of the MSME movement to the interior regions of Odisha, Kambhampati stressed the need to strengthen local business ecosystems, industrial clusters, connectivity, skills, access to capital and market linkages. He urged MSMEs to enhance productivity and sustainability through modern machinery, digital tools, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, quality certification and waste reduction.
The Governor further emphasised greater collaboration among startups, universities, research institutions and established MSMEs to transform local skills into globally competitive products.
Against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions in West Asia and India’s dependence on imported crude oil, Kambhampati advocated sustainable mobility among MSMEs and encouraged the gradual adoption of electric vehicles. Such a transition, he said, could reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, strengthen energy security and ease pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
Referring to the use of electric vehicles in his official fleet, the Governor said collective behavioural changes could contribute to sustainable development and national self-reliance. He also urged participants to install rooftop solar systems to promote clean energy generation.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain, Additional Chief Secretary (Home, Industries and Information & Public Relations) Hemant Sharma, MSME Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Rashmita Panda, NALCO Chairman-cum-Managing Director Bijendra Pratap Singh and OASME Secretary General Satwik Swain also addressed the event.
OASME President Gouri Shankar Dash delivered the welcome address.
