Bhubaneswar: Odisha is pivoting from a resource-based economy to an intelligence-led future, as highlighted by Shri Vishal Kumar Dev, Additional Chief Secretary for Energy, Electronics, and IT, during the Vikash Manthan 1.0 plenary session.
Central to this transformation is the launch of India’s first dedicated AI Policy, which aims to democratize artificial intelligence and ensure its benefits reach the state’s most vulnerable populations.
To support this vision, the state is actively developing Odia language datasets to train AI systems, ensuring that technological advancements are inclusive and linguistically accessible, said ACS Shri Dev.
This technical foundation is part of a broader strategy to establish Odisha as a premier destination for high-value technology operations. The state currently hosts 350 IT companies and has set an ambitious target to build over 100 Global Capability Centres across sectors such as healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and BFSI, added ACS Shri Dev.
ACS Shri Dev noted that Odisha’s strong macro-fiscal health and low employee attrition rates provide a stable environment for this “mind-driven” economy. By leveraging upgraded semiconductor and IT policies, the state intends to fill the gap in its services sector, which currently trails the national average but offers a significant “opportunity corridor” for AI-led growth and industrial expansion.
The fourth plenary session of Vikash Manthan 1.0 –consultation” Governance in Action, titled “Samruddha Odisha,” witnessed wide-ranging deliberations by senior officers on accelerating Odisha’s growth momentum through industry expansion, services transformation, urban reforms, logistics strengthening and rural economic revitalisation.
The session reflected a shared optimism about Odisha’s emerging economic trajectory while underscoring the need for focused, time-bound execution.