Odisha Targets Balanced Industrial Growth Across All Districts
Centre reveals 11 districts still lagging in industrialisation; MSMEs employ over 20 lakh people
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, is working to ensure that industrialisation reaches every district in the state. However, data presented in Parliament shows that 11 districts continue to lag behind in industrial development. These include Kalahandi, Nuapada, Balangir, Subarnapur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, Gajapati, and Mayurbhanj.
In a written reply to a question from MP Dr. Sasmit Patra, Union Minister of State for MSME Shobha Karandlaje informed the House that these districts together have 4,23,760 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) employing 20,07,989 people.
Among them, Gajapati has the lowest number of MSMEs at 18,000, followed by Malkangiri with 18,431 and Nuapada with 19,513. On the issue of financing, the Minister stated that in 2024–25, banks provided Rs 44,950.44 crore to 3.66 lakh MSME accounts in Odisha.
Under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), 1,867 micro enterprises received Rs 53.42 crore, while Rs 9,683 crore was extended under the Credit Guarantee Scheme.
The Minister clarified that no separate loan or financial package has been created for MSMEs in coastal areas affected by cyclones. The government continues to promote entrepreneurship through central schemes, but challenges remain in bridging the industrial gap between developed and lagging districts.
