Enterprise Odisha 2026: CM launches projects worth Rs 8,800 cr; state receives Rs 52,026-cr investment intents

Rourkela: Western Odisha is no longer the ‘next frontier’ of growth, it is a core engine of Odisha’s development, said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi while addressing the inaugural session of the 25th edition of Enterprise Odisha 2026 at Rourkela.

Chief Minister inaugurated the Silver Jubilee edition of Enterprise Odisha 2026 and launched multiple industrial projects in the western part of the state. On the occasion, projects worth Rs 8,884 crore were inaugurated and grounded, leading to the generation of 6,832 employment.

Besides, MoUs and investment intents worth Rs 52,026 crore, with employment potential of 20,427, were achieved at the flagship event.

The event was graced by Minister for Industries, Skill Development & Technical Education, Sampad Chandra Swain; Raghunathpali MLA Durga Charan Tanti; Additional Chief Secretary, Industries, Home and Information & Public Relations Department, Hemant Sharma among others.

Several industrial houses took part in the event

Distinguished industrialists, investors, representatives of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), policymakers, MSME entrepreneurs, startup founders, women entrepreneurs, and senior government officials were also present on the occasion.

Leading companies including Tata Steel, MCL, JSW, Vedanta, Dalmia Cement, SAIL, AMNS, and the Rourkela Chamber of Commerce, among others, participated in the event.

“The Silver Jubilee edition of Enterprise Odisha represents a new way of thinking for us, a mindset where we aspire to be the best in every sector. We will be the best, and we will compete with the best. With this confidence, we are moving forward. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Odisha: Best Place to Live, Work and Do Business.’ This reflects our renewed vision that economic growth must go hand in hand with an improved quality of life. Industrial development must create employment opportunities, enhance living standards, and ensure that ease of doing business is matched with ease of living. Industrial growth should bring better opportunities into the lives of every citizen,” said the Chief Minister.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister Highlighted the state government’s industrial strategy and future course of action.

“Our strategy is clear: Establish a few anchor industries in every region and develop hundreds of MSMEs around them as suppliers, vendors, logistics partners, fabricators, maintenance providers, packaging units, and technology partners. This will ensure that our youth no longer need to migrate for jobs; opportunities will come to their doorstep,” Majhi said.

20 industrial projects were launched

The event marked the inauguration of 11 industrial projects with an investment of Rs 5,708.00 crore, generating employment for 4,183 persons. This was followed by the grounding of nine projects worth Rs 3,176.00 crore, creating employment for 2,649 persons.

The Chief Minister also participated in three key roundtable discussions with the Rourkela Chamber of Commerce, Orissa Sponge Iron Manufacturing Association (OSIMA), and a special interaction with delegations from Ranchi and Raipur. These engagements highlighted the growing RRR Corridor—Raipur–Ranchi–Rourkela, reflecting enhanced regional collaboration and shared growth prospects.

22 MoUs worth Rs 43,349 crore were signed

Through these roundtables, 22 MoUs worth Rs 43,349 crore were signed, generating 18,985 employment, while 5 investment intents of Rs 8,677 crore with employment potential of 1442 were received.

The Chief Minister handed over the letter offering 1,447.927 acres of land at Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal to Vedanta Aluminium Ltd. for its proposed 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) aluminium smelter and 4,900 MW Captive Power Plant (CPP) project.

“Enterprise Odisha 2026 is focused on delivery. Investor interest has already translated into MoUs and project intents, and our priority is to move swiftly from land allocation to grounding and production, particularly in downstream manufacturing and metal ancillaries across Western Odisha. Industrial expansion must be supported by skilled manpower. Through targeted skilling, up-skilling and institutional upgrades, we are aligning workforce preparation with industry demand to ensure that manufacturing growth in Western Odisha is employment-led and future-ready,” said the Industries Minister.