Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet Monday approved two schemes with a total outlay of Rs 2,000 crore over a period of five years to boost tourism in the state.
The cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved 10 proposals of five different departments, including the two tourism-related schemes.
The government has approved the proposal to create a land bank for hospitality infrastructure with an aim to create a robust foundation for tourism-led economic growth and to attract large-scale investments in the hospitality sector across the state, an official statement said.
A major challenge in developing world-class tourism infrastructure has been the lack of readily available, contiguous, encroachment-free, and investment-ready land parcels. To address this gap, the cabinet has decided to establish a dedicated Tourism Land Bank under the Department of Tourism, the statement said.
Under the scheme, approximately 5,500 acres of land comprising both government and private land parcels will be identified and developed across major tourism destinations of Odisha. These include Chilika, Konark, Puri (Shamuka), Dhauli, Hirakud, Satkosia, Similipal, Bhitarkanika, Daringbadi, Deomali, Buddhist Circuit, Jiranga, Talsari, and Tampara-Aryapalli, among others.
The scheme will be implemented over a period of five years, from financial year 2026-27 to 2030-31, with an annual outlay of Rs 300 crore, resulting in a total estimated financial implication of Rs 1,500 crore, the government said.
The initiative is expected to encourage investments in hotels, resorts, convention centres, eco-tourism projects, wellness retreats, recreational facilities, and other tourism-related infrastructure, it said.
Similarly, the state has also decided to implement the Waterfront Development Scheme with a total outlay of Rs 500 crore over a period of five years.
The scheme aims to rejuvenate riverfronts and urban water bodies across selected cities, transforming them into vibrant, accessible, and environmentally sustainable public spaces, as per the statement.
This initiative seeks to restore ecological balance while enhancing the quality of life in urban areas. It focuses on developing continuous and inclusive waterfront spaces that cater to citizens, tourists, and local communities alike, an official said.
The government has also decided to construct a women workers’ hostel in Kalibeti Industrial Area in Khurda at a cost of Rs 210 crore and approved a drinking water supply project worth Rs 112 crore for some part of Bhubaneswar city.