“Growth must be inclusive, sustainable and institutionally robust to transform Odisha by 2036 and contribute to Viksit Bharat 2047” : Chief Secretary AnuGarg
“Development must be rooted in national consciousness;Odia Asmita will power Viksit Odisha for Viksit Bharat”: Dr. Prafulla Ketkar
Bhubaneswar, 27-02-2026: The inaugural session of the two-day conclave ‘Vikash Manthan 1.0 – Governance in Action’, organised by the Planning & Convergence Department, Government of Odisha, in collaboration with the Odisha Centre of Integrated Development (OCID), as begins today at the State Convention Centre, LokSeva Bhavan conceptualised as a structured platform for informed deliberation, policy co-creation and sector-specific strategy formulation, aimed at advancing the vision of ViksitOdisha 2036, aligned with the national goal of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The event brings together senior government officials, representatives from civil society, academia, industry, and development partners to collectively shape Odisha’s long-term development trajectory.
In her keynote introductory address, Smt. Anu Garg, Chief Secretary, Odisha, articulated the State’s ambitious roadmap to transform Odisha into a high-income, inclusive, climate-resilient and innovation-driven economy by 2036, coinciding with the centenary of its statehood and aligning with India’s 100 years of Independence in 2047. She highlighted that Odisha’s GSDP at current prices is estimated at ₹9.9 lakh crore in 2025–26, reflecting a 9.5% increase over the previous year, while the real growth rate of 7.9% surpasses the national average. The State’s per capita income has nearly tripled over the past decade, rising from ₹64,835 in 2015–16 to ₹1,86,761 in 2025–26.
The Chief Secretary outlined strong sectoral momentum across agriculture, industry and services. Agriculture and allied sectors continue to outperform national averages in both contribution and growth rate. The industrial sector, contributing over 41% to GSVA, is driven by robust manufacturing expansion, while the services sector is projected to grow at 9.3%. Significant strides in social sectors were also highlighted, including enhanced public health expenditure, substantial increase in education budget, expansion of digital and computer facilities in government schools, and the remarkable success of the Odisha World Skill Centre with high placement rates. Women empowerment initiatives such as SUBHADRA and the LakhpatiDidi scheme arestrengthening our grassroots economic participation.
Emphasising that fiscal strength must translate into measurable development outcomes, the Chief Secretary underlined that growth must remain inclusive, regionally balanced and environmentally sustainable. She described VikashManthan 1.0 as not a mere ceremonial event but a governance instrument, designed to bridge government initiatives with expertise from academia, civil society and domain specialists. She urged participants to identify catalytic interventions, scalable innovations and structural reforms to accelerate Odisha’s journey toward 2036 and ensure its leadership role in India’s growth story by 2047.
Delivering the keynote special address, Dr. Prafulla Ketkar, Editor of The Organiser, underscored the importance of anchoring development paradigms in India’s civilisational ethos and Bharatiya knowledge systems. He emphasised that India is a “spiritual democracy” and that development must encompass mental, psychological, physical and spiritual dimensions. Advocating the philosophy of integral humanism as a holistic framework for policy and governance, he observed that Bharat’s vision for the world is inherently integrated, rather than just binary. He highlighted the significance of family as a fundamental unit in policy formulation and stressed that Odisha’s development model must draw strength from its cultural identity and Odia Asmita. He stated that a self-defined, culturally rooted pathway of growth would power the vision of Viksit Odisha contributing meaningfully to Viksit Bharat.
Delivering the welcome address, Shri Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Odisha, described VikashManthan 1.0 as a “GyanaYagnya”, i.e. a confluence of thinkers, policymakers, implementers and scholars committed to generating transformative ideas for Odisha’s progress. Emphasising India’s civilisational ethos as a cultural and spiritual nation, he remarked that such collective deliberations would churn out policy “Amrut” to guide the State’s developmental journey. A detailed video presentation on the “Vision Document 2036& 2047 was also showcased by the Planning & Convergence Department, outlining the strategic direction and thematic priorities for the ViksitOdisha 2036 and Viksit Bharat 2047 Vision Document.
The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Shri Rana Prithviraj Singh, Organising Secretary, OCID (Knowledge and Research Partner), who expressed gratitude to the dignitaries, participants and collaborating institutions for their valuable contributions to the deliberative platform.
Vikash Manthan 1.0 marks the beginning of an institutionalised annual forum aimed at reviewing data transparently, fostering collaborative governance and accelerating Odisha’s transformation into an inclusive, resilient and innovation-driven State by 2036 aligned with national priorities.
