Centre Clears ₹1.45 Lakh Crore Push for Paradip: CM Majhi Outlines Massive Port, Petrochemical and Infrastructure Overhaul
Kalinga Balijatra Inauguration Becomes Stage for Odisha’s New Industrial Vision
Bhubaneswar : At the inauguration of the Kalinga Balijatra festival in Jagatsinghpur, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a sweeping infrastructure and industrial expansion plan for coastal Odisha, revealing that the Centre has approved investments worth ₹1.45 lakh crore for Paradip’s transformation into a major national logistics and petrochemical hub.
Speaking at Biju Maidan on Tuesday, Majhi said the mega approvals—from port development to petrochemical and semiconductor manufacturing—signal a decisive shift in Odisha’s economic trajectory. He recalled that during the same festival last year, he had committed to turning Paradip into a major industrial node with an investment of around ₹1 lakh crore. “Today, that vision stands strengthened. The Centre has approved an investment of ₹1.45 lakh crore for port-based development in Paradip, including a petrochemical hub and a chip-to-ship semiconductor unit,” he said.
A Multi-Layered Investment Pipeline
Majhi detailed how Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently announced a national industrial package of ₹70,000 crore, with Odisha receiving the substantial majority—₹50,000 crore. Out of this, ₹25,000 crore will be used to develop Ganjam’s Bahuda port, while the remaining ₹25,000 crore is earmarked for a large-scale shipbuilding and repair facility at the Mahanadi river mouth in Paradip. According to the CM, this investment alone will create employment for nearly 5,000 youths.
He further highlighted that the Centre has taken final steps to establish a petrochemical complex at Paradip, anchored by an ₹80,000-crore naphtha cracker plant. Once operational, the project is expected to generate 25,000 direct and indirect jobs and significantly expand Odisha’s presence in downstream chemical and polymer industries.
Major Connectivity and Energy Projects Coming Up
A key part of the proposed industrial ecosystem is improved connectivity. Majhi said an eight-lane corridor will be constructed from Paradip to Barbil, strengthening freight movement from mineral-rich hinterlands. Work on the first phase—from Paradip to Chandikhole in Jajpur—is already underway, where a petroleum storage facility worth ₹13,000 crore will also come up.
Paradip will additionally host a green hydrogen hub, with an investment of ₹40,000 crore aimed at positioning Odisha as a future energy leader in green fuel and clean industrial feedstocks.
Textile, Aviation and Healthcare Projects Announced
Majhi also announced that around ₹500 crore will be spent on establishing a textile park at the Sarala spinning mill in Tirtol. The textile hub is anticipated to generate nearly 50,000 jobs, creating a major employment corridor in the region.
Further, Paradip will get its own modern airport to support rising industrial traffic, while Jagatsinghpur district will soon have a new medical college to strengthen healthcare infrastructure.
Festival Becomes Platform for Economic Roadmap
The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Jagatsinghpur Collector and Kalinga Balijatra Committee Chairman J. Sonal. Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain, MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai, Tirtol MLA Ramakant Bhoi, Paradip Port Authority Chairman P. L. Haranadh, and Paradip Municipality Chairman Basant Biswal were present.
The week-long Kalinga Balijatra festival—featuring cultural performances and traditional exhibitions—will continue until November 10, but this year’s opening has also set the tone for a far broader narrative: Odisha’s emergence as an integrated industrial and maritime powerhouse backed by one of the largest central investment packages the state has ever received.
