Odisha Aims to Become Electronics System Design & Manufacturing Hub, Says Minister

Odisha is poised to become a competitive Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) hub with a robust IT ecosystem, said State Electronics and Information Technology Minister Mukesh Mahaling during a workshop on the preparation of the ‘Odisha IT/ITES Roadmap’ on Thursday.

Highlighting the government’s ambitious plans, Mahaling emphasized that Odisha is the first state in India to implement an AI policy, aimed at boosting innovation and employment through support for startups and adoption of advanced technologies. He added that the new IT policy, along with an upcoming AI policy, will help nurture a future-ready digital economy.

“We are not just preparing for today, but for the digital demands of 2030, 2036, and even 2047,” said Mahaling. “Our vision is to create an innovation-driven economy that offers vast employment opportunities while putting Odisha at the forefront of the national ESDM landscape.”

Principal Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev outlined a comprehensive development blueprint, noting that the state is already working on multiple policy initiatives including Global Capability Centers (GCCs), FinTech policy, and a cybersecurity policy. He shared updates on infrastructure projects such as the establishment of tech towers in eight cities, land acquisition for IT parks between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, and the upcoming cable landing station and data center in Puri in collaboration with Singapore.

During the workshop, the E&IT Department presented its “Vision 2030”, which includes the development of world-class GCC hubs in the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri corridor, expansion of startup incubation capacity, and promotion of high-growth sectors like FinTech, data centers, and semiconductor manufacturing.

According to the roadmap, Odisha is targeting:

• ₹7,000 crore in electronics exports by 2036.
• Creation of over 2 lakh jobs in the ESDM and IT/ITES sectors.
• Attracting ₹10,000 crore investment in data centers by 2036.
• Generating 50,000+ jobs in the financial and data services sector.
• Supporting OSAT/ATMP units and expanding the Chips-to-Startup (C-2-S) program in educational institutions.

Over 50 industry stakeholders, including startup founders and entrepreneurs, participated in the workshop and provided input. Suggestions included:

• Rewarding new investors at regular intervals.
• Supporting gaming and legal tech startups.
• Prioritizing cybersecurity through a comprehensive cyber policy.
• Promoting Odia-origin startups globally and incentivizing their return to the state.

With these strategic interventions, Odisha envisions transforming itself into a leading destination for digital infrastructure, innovation, and advanced electronics manufacturing, positioning beyond Bhubaneswar as a core tech hub.