Union Budget 2026–27 to accelerate Odisha’s growth: Dharmendra Pradhan

Bhubaneswar, Feb 7: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday said the Union Budget 2026–27 has laid a strong roadmap for inclusive growth and economic transformation, opening new avenues of development for Odisha across key sectors such as education, agriculture, tourism and infrastructure.

Addressing a press conference here along with State BJP President Manmohan Samal, Pradhan said the budget reflects the vision of a “Developed India” while positioning Odisha as a major growth engine in eastern India. He described the budget as a strong foundation for building a Viksit Bharat.

The Union Minister said India has emerged as the world’s fourth-largest economy, with the budget targeting an economic growth rate of 6.8 to 7.2 per cent in the coming financial year.

Highlighting Odisha’s gains, Pradhan said the state will be a major beneficiary, particularly in agriculture, education and tourism. Under the “Purvodaya” initiative, Odisha has been envisioned as a key growth hub. A record Rs.10,928 crore has been allocated for Odisha’s railway budget, nearly 13 times higher than the average allocation during 2009–14, he noted.

He also highlighted the development of National Waterway No. 5 from Talcher–Angul to Paradip–Dhamra through the Brahmani and Mahanadi rivers, and the establishment of a new Rare Earth Corridor, which will significantly strengthen the state’s industrial and mineral infrastructure.

Emphasising the “New Age Economy,” Pradhan said advanced skill development and effective utilisation of mineral resources would generate large-scale employment opportunities for Odisha’s youth. He added that reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars will be developed to improve irrigation facilities, especially in the KBK districts.

The budget will benefit nearly 1.5 million kendu leaf workers and tribal communities in the state, Pradhan said, noting that the reduction of tax on kendu leaves from five per cent to two per cent would benefit workers across regions from Sambalpur to Mayurbhanj.

Women Self-Help Groups and fishermen’s organisations will be linked to markets through startups, while fisheries infrastructure will be strengthened in coastal areas. These measures, he said, will boost incomes of fishing communities and strengthen the Blue Economy.

Tourism initiatives such as “Turtle Trails” at Gahirmatha will give Odisha’s tourism sector a new identity while contributing to economic growth, he added.

Highlighting India’s economic progress under the Modi government, Pradhan said exports have increased by 77 per cent from USD 466.22 billion in 2013–14 to USD 824.9 billion, while foreign direct investment has more than doubled to USD 81.04 billion. The country’s GDP has tripled to Rs.331.03 lakh crore, and foreign exchange reserves have reached USD 697.9 billion.

He said India now has the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, with artificial intelligence expected to contribute USD 1.7 trillion to the economy by 2035.

Pradhan further said initiatives such as “Biopharma Shakti” with an outlay of Rs.10,000 crore over five years and the “India Semiconductor Mission 2.0” with Rs.40,000 crore allocation will strengthen the innovation ecosystem.

A Rs.10,000 crore Growth Fund has been created for MSMEs, while an Education to Employment and Entrepreneurship (E2E) standards committee has been proposed to enhance youth employability, he added.

He also announced that Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) labs will be set up in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges across the country, and one girls’ hostel will be built in each district to encourage girls’ participation in STEM education.