The newly released document details a strategic roadmap for transforming Odisha’s economy, setting a monumental goal to grow it fifteen-fold to USD 1.5 trillion by 2047
Nilambar Rath
The Government of Odisha has released its ‘Vision Document 2036 & 2047,’ a detailed roadmap outlining its economic and social development goals for the next two decades. The document, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bhubaneswar on June 20, 2025, was published by the state’s Planning and Convergence Department with acknowledged contributions from NITI Aayog in its shaping. It sets ambitious targets aimed at transforming the state’s economy and improving the quality of life for its citizens.
The report is described as a “true people’s document”, formulated after an extensive consultation process that, according to the document, incorporated feedback from over 3.2 lakh citizens, experts, and the global Odia diaspora. Its timeline is strategically pegged to two significant dates: the centenary of Odisha’s formation as a state in 2036 and the 100th anniversary of India’s independence in 2047.
Headline Ambitions: A USD 1.5 Trillion Economy
At the heart of the vision is a set of formidable economic targets. The document lays out a plan to expand Odisha’s economy to USD 500 billion by 2036 and further to USD 1.5 trillion by 2047, a goal it notes is “fifteen times its current size”.
This economic growth is intended to be coupled with significant social progress, including the creation of “over a crore of new jobs” and achieving universal literacy and healthcare.
To achieve this, the document projects a cumulative investment requirement of INR 70–80 lakh crore by 2047.
The plan is structured around six foundational pillars:
- People First
- Rural Empowerment
- Prosperity for All
- Our Legacy – Our Pride
- Technology Leading the Way
- People-Centric Governance
While outlining its strengths, such as rich natural resources and a young population, the document also acknowledges significant “structural challenges” that need to be addressed. These include underutilized industrial potential, infrastructure constraints, regional disparities in growth, and a limited innovation ecosystem.
Ten Key Focus Areas from the Vision Document
An analysis of the 25 thematic areas detailed in the report reveals several high-priority sectors that are central to the state’s proposed transformation.
1. Industrial and Manufacturing Growth
- A ‘Manufacturing Mission’: The document proposes a mission to place Odisha among India’s top five manufacturing states. A key strategy involves developing industrial mega-parks with “plug-and-play infrastructure” and strengthening the MSME ecosystem to support large industries and boost exports. The aim is to attract over INR 30 lakh crore in new investments.
- Leadership in Metals and Mining: The vision aims to cement Odisha’s status as “Asia’s premier hub for mining and metals”. The document sets production targets of 165 MMTPA for steel and 5 MMTPA for aluminum by 2047, while simultaneously fostering a downstream metal-processing industry with an investment goal of INR 2 lakh crore.
2. Human Capital and Empowerment
- Focus on Women-Led Development: A significant emphasis is placed on women’s empowerment through initiatives like SUBHADRA and Lakhpati Didi. The document sets a target to increase the female labor force participation rate to 70% by 2047 and raise women’s ownership in MSMEs to over 50%.
- Global Skilling Hub: Under the ‘Skilled in Odisha’ initiative, the state plans to become a “global skilling hub”. The strategy includes establishing seven World Skill Centre (WSC) campuses and facilitating overseas placements for 1 lakh youth annually by 2047.
3. Agriculture and Rural Economy
- Modernizing Agriculture: Odisha Vision document outlines a plan to rank Odisha among the top five Indian states in per capita farmer income. This involves transforming five priority crops with integrated value chains, expanding irrigation coverage to over 90%, and deploying digital agriculture technologies.
- Harnessing the Blue Economy: The state’s extensive coastline is targeted for major development. The vision aims for Odisha to be among the top two states in shrimp production and a top-three state in overall seafood production. An ‘Odisha Shrimp Mission’ is planned to drive this growth.
4. Infrastructure and Urbanization
- Cities as Growth Engines: The roadmap proposes a major push for urbanization, targeting a 60% urban population by 2047. A central initiative is the development of a “Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip Economic Region (BCPPER)” as a USD 500 billion economic hub. The goal is to have at least two cities from Odisha feature in the ‘Top 100 Global Liveability Index’.
- A Logistics and Connectivity Overhaul: The state envisions becoming the “eastern logistics gateway for India”. The plan includes handling 33% of India’s port cargo by 2047, developing eight new ports, expanding the national waterway network, and building an INR 5 lakh crore shipbuilding and repair industry.
5. Technology, Innovation, and Culture
- Becoming the ‘Startup Hub of the East’: The document outlines a strategy to position Odisha among India’s top five startup ecosystems. This includes nurturing “5-8 unicorns with roots in Odisha”, increasing a state-led startup fund to INR 500 crore, and boosting R&D expenditure to 3.5% of GSDP by 2047.
- Branding Odisha for Global Tourism: The vision includes a major branding campaign, ‘Think India, Think Odisha’, to establish the state as a “global eco-cultural tourism hub”. The targets are to attract five crore domestic and seven lakh foreign tourists annually by 2047 and to preserve and promote Jagannath culture globally.
The Role of a Vision Document in State Development
Such long-term strategic documents serve several key functions in governance and economic planning. By providing a clear, long-term direction, the Odisha Vision Document aims to move policymaking beyond short-term cycles and create a stable framework that can attract sustained investment.
The implementation strategy, as detailed in the document, revolves around a “whole-of-government, whole-of-society” approach. To translate the vision into action, the government has identified ’36 for 36′ flagship programmes — high-impact initiatives designed to accelerate development by the state’s centenary. These mission-mode projects, ranging from ‘Aarogya Odisha’ for healthcare to ‘Udyog Odisha’ for industry, form the operational core of the plan.
For investors and the diaspora, the document acts as a prospectus, signaling the state’s priorities and creating a predictable environment for engagement. For citizens and civil society, it establishes a benchmark against which government performance can be measured, fostering accountability.
The document concludes by framing the vision as a “shared journey” and a “unifying movement”, calling upon all citizens to become “custodians of this Vision”. It represents a comprehensive, if highly ambitious, attempt to chart a course for Odisha’s future, aligning state-level aspirations with the national goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat’.
The release of the Vision Document carries significant political undertones, timed to mark the first anniversary of the Mohan Charan Majhi-led BJP government in Odisha. The event, also celebrating the completion of Narendra Modi’s 11th year as Prime Minister, signals a strong alignment between the state’s new administration and the national developmental agenda.
This unique approach of creating a public-facing, long-term vision serves as a major policy statement for the first BJP government in the state.
While the document laudably maps out Odisha’s vast, untapped potential, its ambitious targets present a formidable challenge. The journey from a detailed blueprint to tangible reality will be arduous. Transforming Odisha into a $1.5 trillion economy requires more than just a plan; it demands unwavering political commitment that transcends electoral cycles, a robust and agile administrative machinery, and sustained hard work.
However, by placing such a comprehensive, long-term roadmap in the public domain, the government has taken a crucial and positive step. It creates a framework for accountability and provides a clear direction for the bureaucracy, industry, and public. If pursued with the persistence and long-term vision it advocates for, this document could indeed script a new chapter of growth for the state.
(A veteran media personality and communication specialist, the author is the Editor of OdishaLIVE and OdishaPlus, leading the strategy for their digital and social media channels.)
