Bhubaneswar: Odisha is poised for a significant leap in its digital transformation journey, with the government actively promoting a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy and preparing forthcoming Global Capability Center (GCC) and Fintech policies.
Accordingly, the Department of Electronics and Information Technology has organized a workshop with industry representatives on the preparation of ‘Odisha I.T./ITES Roadmap’.
The workshop was chaired by the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Health and Family Welfare and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Mukesh Mahalinga
This strategic push aims to create a robust ecosystem for IT and Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM), positioning the state as a competitive hub in the national and global digital landscape.
Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary, Energy, Electronics & Information Technology (E&IT), underscored the state’s commitment, revealing plans for tech towers in eight major cities and the ongoing acquisition of land for IT park development in the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack corridor.
A major international collaboration is also underway with Singapore for the establishment of a cable landing station and a data center in Puri, tenders for which have already been floated.
Principal Secretary Shri Dev informed that the E&IT Department recently presented its “Odisha Electronics and IT and ITES Vision 2030,” which aligns with India’s aspiration to become a $25 trillion economy by 2047. The vision highlights the timely opportunity for Odisha to strengthen its position within the digital value chain, given the global digital economy’s consistent 10-15% growth.
Shri Dev said the key goals outlined in Odisha Vision 2036 and 2047 include the development of world-class GCC hubs in the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri corridor, expanding startup incubation capacity, and increasing participation in high-growth sectors such as IT/ITES, FinTech, and Data Centers.
To facilitate this ambitious transformation, the proposed “Odisha Digital Economy Mission” is being prepared. This initiative is projected to generate over 2 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities and contribute to electronics exports exceeding Rs 7,000 crore. Furthermore, the state aims to attract investments worth Rs 10,000 crore for data centers by 2036, leading to the creation of over 50,000 employment opportunities in the financial sector.
With dedicated support for Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Testing (OSAT)/Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging (ATMP) units, and the “Chips-to-Startup (C-2-S) programme” for educational institutions, Odisha is actively cultivating an environment to emerge as a preferred destination for digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and innovation beyond its capital city.
The presentation was followed by an interactive Q&A session, witnessing the participation of over 50 industry stakeholders, including entrepreneurs and startup founders.
They offered valuable proposals such as incentivizing new investors, encouraging gaming startups, introducing a comprehensive cyber policy for enhanced cybersecurity, and attracting Odia startups from across India to set up units in the state, including supporting legal startups.
The Team E&IT assured the participants that all proposals would be given due consideration and incorporated into the revised policy where relevant.