Bhubaneswar: Odisha has been selected as one of the first four states by the Central government, in collaboration with the World Bank, to participate in a study aimed at enhancing private investment in infrastructure. Odisha has been identified for the purpose alongside Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Meghalaya.
Official sources said the study focuses on evaluating the state’s infrastructure strategies and making recommendations to improve private sector involvement.
A high-level meeting was held on Tuesday at the Loka Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar chaired by Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg.
A five-member delegation from the World Bank, consisting of senior PPP (Public Private Partnership) specialists and advisors, was present, along with key infrastructure department secretaries and officials from the Directorate of PPP and the Finance Department.
During the meeting, Garg outlined Odisha’s revamped PPP policy, institutional mechanisms for project appraisal, and recent initiatives to attract more private sector participation, particularly in social sectors. She emphasized that the state’s “Vision 2036” is pivotal for Odisha’s multi-dimensional growth and global recognition.
The World Bank team’s primary goal is to assess the success factors and challenges in past and ongoing projects, to identify best practices that can be shared with other states and global stakeholders.
The team also envisages extending critical technical advisory services for future projects, if required.