"Odisha is requesting a central package to help build disaster-resilient infrastructure."
Chief minister Mohan Majhi stated that although Odisha is vulnerable to natural disasters, the state has become a leader in disaster management, demonstrating remarkable resilience.
Arpit Pattnaik
Odisha's Chief Minister Mohan Majhi requested a financial package from Niti Aayog to construct disaster-resilient infrastructure in the power, telecom sectors, and coastal saline embankments. This initiative aims to reduce the adverse impact of cyclones and floods.
During the 8th Governing Council meeting of Niti Aayog in New Delhi, Majhi emphasized that despite Odisha's vulnerability to natural disasters, the state has shown exceptional resilience in disaster management. The state government seeks assistance from the Center for various projects, including laying underground cables in urban areas, enhancing power transmission and distribution infrastructure in rural areas, and raising the height of saline embankments to at least 6.5 meters above sea level. In addition, there is a proposal to convert kaccha houses to cyclone-resistant pucca houses.
The aftermath of cyclone Fani in May 2019 led to substantial damage to Odisha's power infrastructure, with over 1 lakh km of 11-KV and low-tension lines damaged, and 2.18 lakh electric poles destroyed. Puri district experienced a power outage for over a month, and the overall damage to the power sector amounted to at least ₹1,160 crore.
Majhi also highlighted the need for the Center to incentivize Odisha for its efforts in reducing carbon footprint and providing ecological services. Despite having 33% forest cover, which plays a crucial role in environmental protection, the high forest cover limits the state's land utilization for development projects, impacting its economic growth.
The Chief Minister further pressed for the transfer of approximately 4,300 acres of salt pan land owned by the Center to the State Government to establish large-scale port-based industrial zones around the existing port of Gopalpur. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of central support to help Odisha move up the value chain in the mineral industry and produce special metals and alloys for aerospace and defense.
In addition, Majhi called for central support to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and acquire state-of-the-art technology for designing and manufacturing semiconductors. He emphasized that the coming decade is crucial for Odisha, aiming for consistent annual growth of 8-10% to transition from a middle-ranking state to a leading contributor to India's development.
Majhi also highlighted the potential of Odisha's 480-km-long coastline and water resources in paving the way towards a Blue Economy. This involves exploring opportunities in marine aquaculture, island tourism, beach tourism, water sports, and niche areas like seaweed cultivation.
