Sambalpur: In a significant move aimed at transforming western Odisha into a major technology and innovation hub, Sambalpur MP and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw to take up two strategic initiatives that could reshape the region’s digital and technological landscape.
In separate letters addressed to the Union Minister, Pradhan has sought the expansion and modernisation of the existing Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) Centre in Sambalpur and the establishment of a Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) at Gangadhar Meher University.
The first proposal advocates upgrading the existing STPI Centre into a state-of-the-art Information Technology, Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM), and Innovation Hub. The MP stated that Sambalpur and the adjoining districts possess tremendous potential in information technology, semiconductor design, electronics manufacturing, artificial intelligence, digital services, and innovation-driven industries.
He emphasised that while the existing STPI Centre has contributed to promoting the digital economy in western Odisha, the rapidly expanding opportunities in IT, startups, Global Capability Centres (GCCs), artificial intelligence, and semiconductor technologies call for more comprehensive and future-ready infrastructure.
According to Pradhan, Sambalpur has emerged as an important educational, technological, and economic centre of Odisha. Premier institutions such as Sambalpur University, Gangadhar Meher University, IIM Sambalpur, VSSUT Burla, VIMSAR, Odisha State Open University, and OUAT’s Chiplima Campus have created a strong pool of skilled human resources. Coupled with the industrial ecosystem across the Sambalpur–Jharsuguda–Anugola corridor, the region offers an ideal environment for technology-led growth.
He noted that an expanded STPI campus would promote technology enterprises, startups, incubation centres, skill development programmes, and advanced digital infrastructure while generating high-quality employment opportunities for the youth.
In a second communication, the Sambalpur MP proposed establishing a Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) at Gangadhar Meher University. The proposed centre would focus on advanced computing, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing (HPC), electronics, cybersecurity, Indian-language technologies, and other emerging digital solutions.
Pradhan highlighted C-DAC’s pioneering contribution to India’s indigenous technology ecosystem through initiatives such as the PARAM supercomputing programme, Indian-language computing, health informatics, electronics research, and advanced digital technologies.
He observed that Gangadhar Meher University already possesses a strong academic foundation through its Departments of Computer Science and Computer Applications, which offer undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes. Integrating C-DAC’s research capabilities and high-performance computing infrastructure with the university’s academic ecosystem would significantly enhance research in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data analytics, and advanced digital technologies.
The proposed centre, he said, would also serve as a collaborative platform, bringing together academia, industry, startups, and government institutions to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology-driven development across Odisha.
