Bhubaneswar: Odisha has been selected as one of the first four states by the Government of India, alongside Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Meghalaya, to participate in a study aimed at bolstering private investment in infrastructure.
The study to be conducted in collaboration with the World Bank (WB) focuses on evaluating the State’s infrastructure strategies and making recommendations to improve private sector involvement.
A high-level meeting was held on Tuesday at the Loka Seva Bhavan under the chairpersonship of Anu Garg, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary.
A five-member delegation from the World Bank, consisting of senior PPP (Public Private Partnership) specialists and advisors, was present, along with key infrastructure department secretaries and officials from the Directorate of PPP and the Finance Department.
During the meeting, Garg outlined Odisha’s revamped PPP policy, institutional mechanisms for project appraisal, and recent initiatives to attract more private sector participation, particularly in social sectors. She emphasized that the state’s “Vision 2036” is pivotal for Odisha’s multi-dimensional growth and global recognition.
The World Bank team’s primary goal is to assess the success factors and challenges in past and ongoing projects, to identify best practices that can be shared with other states and global stakeholders. They are also exploring ways to offer technical advisory services for future infrastructure projects in the state.
