Latest news with #UtkarshOdishaConclave
New Indian Express
12-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
New track, mixed signals: 365 days of Majhi government
Yet, not so much can be said about his government. A major poll weapon of BJP in 2024 elections was dismantling the power structure under BJD where bureaucracy reigned supreme. A year on, little has changed in practice. Despite the tall proclamations, the levers of power continue to remain largely in the hands of the very bureaucrats who served key roles in the previous regime. Immediately after coming to power, the BJP leaders and ministers had announced to purge the bureaucrats that pulled the strings in the BJD government. They levelled charges against several officers and promised investigation and action against them. So far, there has not been any visible progress on that front. Many of the very bureaucrats have even gained central deputation and moved on. On the ground too, the impact is being felt. Governance delivery has almost remained stuck all-round and all across the state. No major development project has shown progress. Files are not moving, works stalled for long periods as the administration is still to adapt and abide by the new power structure. So much so that the CM himself has recently been forced to acknowledge the issue and instruct officials to buckle up. The party leadership, though, differs. 'The major achievement of our government is restoring the democratic values which were missing in the BJD government. While the BJD government was run by a handful of bureaucrats making the ministers redundant, our ministers enjoy full freedom to take decisions and express their views without any restriction,' state BJP chief Manmohan Samal said. Managing power The functioning of the government, particularly the council of ministers has so far reflected the teething troubles of a team still finding its feet. Coordination gaps have surfaced, with some ministers issuing contradictory statements or speaking out of turn, leading to confusion over policy matters. Ministers are often seen grappling with issues and the lack of administrative experience is evident in delayed decision-making and mixed messaging. They seem to be still coming to terms with the responsibility of handling their departments and the expectations of a public that voted for transformation. Double-engine, double horsepower Double was promised and double-engine seems to be delivered. With the party winning a historic mandate in the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has thrown his weight behind the Majhi government. Since the formation of government in Odisha, he has made six visits to the state, with the seventh due on June 20 to celebrate the first anniversary of the first BJP government of Odisha. Modi not only unveiled the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, held for the first time in Odisha, in January, he also threw his strength behind Majhi government's investment prowess with his presence at the Utkarsh Odisha Conclave. While most Union Ministers have kept making frequent stops in Bhubaneswar, key events of the Centre are being hosted in the state one after the other.
Hans India
08-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Odisha achieved highest industrial growth in last one year: CM Majhi
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday asserted that the state has made significant progress in the industrial sector over the last year, outpacing the industrial growth of the previous five years combined, through quiet, focused, and committed action. During an interaction with prominent industry leaders, MSME entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs and start-up sector leaders ahead of the first anniversary of his government here, CM Majhi said, "One year ago, the people of Odisha, placed their faith in us, to build a future, that is inclusive, aspirational, and transformative. Today, as we reflect on this first year, we do so with pride, in our progress and renewed commitment to the journey ahead." He thanked the entrepreneurs and industry leaders for becoming partners in Odisha's growth story. Saying that the government is focusing more on job creation and more employment, he urged the industry captains and entrepreneurs to grow with Odisha as well as join the journey of making Odisha an industrial powerhouse. Chief Minister Majhi highlighted that more than 150 memorandums of understanding were signed, generating Rs 16.7 lakh crore of investment intent and an employment potential for more than 12.9 lakh people during the Utkarsh Odisha Conclave last year which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also said that over the last year alone, 206 large projects were approved, nearly double the average of the previous five years. These represent a total investment value of more than Rs 4.5 lakh crore and an employment potential of nearly 2.9 lakh jobs, he added. "Since Utkarsha Odisha, 56 projects have already been taken up for ground-breaking and inauguration, with a combined investment of more than Rs 1.78 lakh crore, and employment potential for 1.1 lakh people. These numbers reflect not only our speed, but scale and substance," CM Majhi said. These projects cover 20 diverse sectors from traditional strengths like mining, metallurgy and metal downstream to emerging opportunities in chemicals, food processing, apparel and textiles, renewable energy equipment, electronics, and tourism, he added. The Chief Minister asserted that Odisha is no longer just the minerals and metals hub of India, it is fast becoming a diversified industrial powerhouse. "Looking ahead to the next year, we will focus on four key priorities. First, we will bring new policies that unlock emerging sectors, and offer global competitiveness. Second, we will expand our land bank and industrial infrastructure, to meet future demand. Third, we will revamp our single window system, and develop a modern, integrated project tracking platform. Fourth, we will work to deregulate and simplify burdensome rules and processes. These steps will ensure faster approvals, seamless coordination, and real-time progress monitoring," CM Majhi added. He also said that the next four years will lay the foundation for a Samruddha Odisha 2036. "We will build on our leadership in mining, metals, and green chemicals with strong support from partners like IOCL, JSW, JSPL, Tata Steel, AMNS, Vedanta, Hindalco, and Adani. We are also strengthening port-based industrialisation, through new terminals, jetties, and container handling capacity, across the Paradip-Dhamra-Gopalpur stretch," affirmed CM Majhi.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
CM charts out bold path for cities' growth by 2036
Bhubaneswar: CM Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday announced an ambitious plan to boost Odisha's urbanisation rate from the current 17% to 40% by 2036 and 60% by 2047. The announcement came during his address at the 10th governing council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The centrepiece of this urban transformation includes developing a massive 7,000 sq km metropolitan region — comparable to the size of the Hyderabad Metropolitan region — encompassing Bhubaneswar, Khurda, Jatni, Cuttack, Paradip, and Puri. Similar development plans are in the pipeline for other growth centres across the state. Speaking at the meeting, Majhi outlined his vision for 'Viksit Odisha', targeting to grow the state's economy to $500 billion by 2036 and $1.5 trillion by 2047. "Odisha will be the growth engine in the country's development journey over the next 25 years," Majhi assured. The CM said Vision Odisha 2036 and 2047 documents, incorporating suggestions from over 320,000 citizens and analysed using AI, will be launched on June 12, on the first anniversary of his oath. The CM highlighted several key initiatives, including implementation of the ' ', which has benefitted over 1 crore women with disbursements exceeding Rs 10,000 crore. He also announced plans to fill 1,50,000 govt positions over the next five years. In terms of investment, the recent Utkarsh Odisha Conclave attracted 593 proposals worth Rs 16.73 lakh crore across 20 sectors, with the potential to create 12.88 lakh jobs. The state is also focusing on developing special tourism zones, including the Hirakud region and Buddhist circuit. Majhi expressed gratitude for the Centre's support, noting sanctioned railway projects worth Rs 73,000 crore and National Highways projects valued at Rs 4,600 crore, with additional projects worth Rs 17,500 crore in the pipeline. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Majhi said the vision document was crafted using artificial intelligence to analyse suggestions from over 320,000 citizens through an online portal. "I will personally monitor its implementation," he said. The CM outlined key focus areas, including complete irrigation coverage for cultivable lands, rapid urbanisation, and development of port-based special economic zones along the state's coastline. He emphasised the state's commitment to attracting investments in textiles, garments, food processing, and new-age industries to generate large-scale employment. Majhi highlighted Odisha's leadership in skill development under the "Skilled in Odisha" brand and its emergence as a hub for ITeS and global capability centres. BLURB Odisha Vision document will be released on June 12, the first anniversary of Majhi govt
Daily Tribune
31-01-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
India Announces Development of Indigenous AI Model to Rival ChatGPT and DeepSeek
India is poised to make a significant stride in Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the announcement of its large language model (LLM), similar to ChatGPT and DeepSeek. Union Minister of Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, revealed that the AI model is expected to be ready in just 10 months, marking a significant milestone in India's ambition to become self-reliant in the AI sector. Addressing the Utkarsh Odisha Conclave, Vaishnaw stated that the groundwork for the AI model has already been laid. 'The framework is ready, and we are now focused on building a system that caters to the unique needs of Indian users,' he said. Over the past 1.5 years, extensive collaboration between the government, startups, researchers, and professors has set the foundation for the model's development. Vaishnaw also announced that proposals are being called to further develop the foundational AI model, which aims to focus on India's linguistic diversity, cultural context, and the elimination of biases inherent in global models. India's journey toward becoming a global AI player is supported by an impressive infrastructure. The country has exceeded its initial goal of securing 10,000 GPUs, now boasting 18,600 GPUs. This advanced computing power, which includes high-performance NVIDIA H100 and H200 models, as well as MI325 models, will be crucial in training the new AI model. For context, DeepSeek AI was trained on 2,500 GPUs and ChatGPT on 25,000 GPUs. India's current tally of over 15,000 high-performance GPUs positions the country strongly in the race for AI development. 'The infrastructure we have now is crucial to our AI mission,' Vaishnaw emphasized. He explained that it would play a vital role in the development of AI models that can compete with global counterparts. Additionally, the government has launched a common computing facility designed to support AI startups, developers, and researchers. This facility, equipped with 18,000 GPUs, will make advanced computing resources more accessible to smaller players, reducing the high costs typically associated with AI development. As of now, 10,000 GPUs are operational, with more to be activated shortly. India's AI model is currently under development with the involvement of six major developers. The government expects the first versions of the model to be ready within 4 to 10 months. Given the country's vast linguistic and cultural diversity, the AI model is being designed to address these unique challenges. Vaishnaw expressed confidence that advancements in algorithmic efficiency would allow India to produce a world-class AI model within a relatively short timeframe. This ambitious project aligns with India's vision of advancing its technological capabilities while addressing its unique needs and challenges. With strong government backing, an expanding infrastructure, and a focus on inclusivity, India is well-positioned to become a major player in the global AI landscape.
