Bhubaneswar: Reiterating the government’s vision of “Viksit Odisha, Viksit Bharat,” Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Sunday said Odisha aims to become the MSME gateway of Eastern India. He was speaking at the Odisha Industrial Conclave 2025, organised by Laghu Udyog Bharati here at the Railway Auditorium.
Addressing the gathering, the CM said the event would play a crucial role in encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation in the state’s fast-growing MSME sector. Speaking about Odisha’s progress, CM Majhi said the state has now emerged as India’s most attractive destination for MSMEs, strengthened by the government’s commitment to turning the dreams of 4.5 crore people into reality. He highlighted several major reforms undertaken by the government in recent years to support industrial development.
He noted that under the Go Swift Single Window System, project approvals that once took months are now being granted within a single day. Odisha has also invested 6.1 per cent of its GSDP in infrastructure this year — the highest among all Indian states.
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Majhi emphasised Odisha’s strong legacy of craftsmanship, noting that artisans from Pipili, Raghurajpur, Sambalpur and Gopalpur are celebrated across the world. Odisha’s youth, he said, are excelling in IT, animation, fintech and startups, while women-led SHGs are exporting world-class products.
He described the state’s flagship Subhadra Yojana as a transformative initiative that is empowering rural women through small businesses. “This is not just a welfare scheme — it is a mission to make mothers financially self-reliant,” he said. The programme has already helped create 17 lakh ‘Lakhpati Didis’, and he expressed hope that it would cultivate a culture of entrepreneurship among women across the state.
Majhi praised Laghu Udyog Bharati for its contribution to Odisha’s industrial growth, supporting over 980 industrial units, generating employment and strengthening the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Globally, he noted, 90 per cent of businesses and nearly 50 per cent of jobs come from the MSME sector. “Small businesses not only contribute to the economy — they enrich it,” he said.
The CM also welcomed Laghu Udyog Bharati’s plan to open a new office in Bhubaneswar, saying it would further boost industry-government cooperation at district and grassroots levels.
Speaking at the event, MSME Minister Gokulananda Mallik said Odisha is rapidly evolving into a major economic force. The government is taking consistent steps to promote local products, strengthen MSMEs, support artisans and reinforce local supply chains — changes he said will transform Odisha’s industrial landscape in the coming years.