Odisha Set To Turn Into High-Income State By 2036, Says OEA Secy

Bhubaneswar: Odisha, which is a middle-income state now, can transform into a high-income state by 2036, said Amarendra Das, secretary of the Orissa Economics Association (OEA).

He was speaking at the OEA’s Odisha Vision 2036 conclave organised by the OEA in collaboration with the Department of Analytical and Applied Economics, Utkal University and School of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER). The OEA is preparing Odisha Vision 2036.

Governor Ganeshi Lal, in his inaugural speech, said Odisha’s development approach has been based on peace, prosperity and happiness. “While envisioning for Odisha in 2036, we should go beyond growth metrics,” he added.

Rajesh Mahapatra, editor, PTI suggested that more emphasis should be given towards ensuring democratic methods of governance than showing too much obsession for growth numbers that benefit only a few people.

“The threat of climate change in looming large. We need to give importance on multidimensional growth indicators than any single indicator of development, said MP Amar Patnaik.

MLA Soumyaranjan Patnaik said, “We need to understand why we are not able to use the political mandate for fulfilling our development mandates. The objective of the present governments is to only win elections and all governments are remaining in election mode. This is not good for a welfare state.”

Former MP Tathagata Satpathy said the present system is captured by the capitalists. Therefore, the public policy making and governance system benefits only a few people.

Asoka Das, vice-chairman of Odisha State Higher Education Council; Ashoka Mohapatra, former director, AIIMS Bhubaneswar; Sanjeeb Chandra Hota and Abha Mishra, Odisha state head, UNDP shared their views on how to transform Odisha into a prosperous state.

Keshab Das, president of OEA and Sabita Acharya, vice-chancellor of Utkal University also spoke.