Bhubaneswar, May 6 (IANS). Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday called for a “two-coast strategy” to drive the next phase of India’s industrial growth and asserted that the east coast will play a decisive role in the country’s economic expansion.
Chief Minister Majhi, who is on a three-day visit to Gujarat, made these comments while addressing industry leaders during his visit to Mundra Port and other industrial facilities on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister said, “India’s development cannot be one-sided. The next phase of industrial expansion must get momentum from the East Coast itself.”
Calling for structural change, he proposed a ‘two-coast strategy’ and urged industry leaders to integrate operations on both coasts, leveraging the strengths of the West Coast while also harnessing the opportunities of the East Coast.
He further said, “Balanced coastal development is essential for India’s long-term competitiveness. The east coast will play a decisive role in the development of the next decade.”
Citing the vastness and efficiency of India’s west coast, Manjhi strongly advocated accelerating development on the east coast and positioned Odisha as a natural gateway for the country’s next wave of industrial development.
The Chief Minister said that while the west coast has emerged as a major hub of maritime trade and industrial activities, the east coast is now at a turning point and Odisha is ready to replicate similar success and implement it on a larger scale.
“What has been achieved on the west coast must now be extended to the east coast as well. Odisha provides the necessary ecosystem, connectivity and policy support to make this transformation possible,” he said.
Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain and senior officials of the state government participated in the visit under the leadership of the Chief Minister. The delegation met industry stakeholders and presented Odisha’s policy, infrastructure preparedness and facility-based governance model.
During the visit, the delegation took a guided tour of Mundra Port through Mundra Industrial Area and SEZ, observing key facilities such as Container Jetty and Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Jetty and showcasing large scale freight handling capabilities.
The delegation also visited the West Port area and a copper manufacturing unit and solar cell and wind turbine component manufacturing facilities, showing the scale of integrated industrial development.
Chief Minister Majhi said that the Odisha government has approved 433 investment proposals worth Rs 83 lakh crore, while 148 projects worth Rs 28 lakh crore have already started. Investment intent in Odisha is translating into implementation on a rapid and large scale.
–IANS
OP/DKP