Odisha CM hails Union Budget 2026-27: Growth, youth, infrastructure boost for state

Bhubaneswar: CM Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday hailed the Union Budget 2026-27 as growth-oriented and youth-centric, saying there are several initiatives that would directly benefit Odisha and accelerate its development trajectory.

Reacting to the Budget, Majhi said the Centre’s focus on infrastructure, critical minerals, tourism and employment would help strengthen Odisha’s economy while ensuring inclusive growth. He described the Budget as one that empowers the youth by prioritising skill development across sectors, enabling young Indians to compete globally and contribute meaningfully to nation-building.


The CM welcomed the allocation of Rs 12.2 lakh crore for public capital expenditure in 2026-27, calling it a strong push for infrastructure-led growth. He expressed gratitude to the Centre for announcing Odisha-specific initiatives, including a dedicated rare earth corridor aimed at mining, processing, research and capacity building in critical minerals, which would reduce import dependence and support high-tech industries.

“Odisha would also gain from the operationalisation of National Waterway-5 in the first phase of 20 new waterways, linking mineral-rich Talcher and Angul with Paradip and Dhamra ports, easing logistics and lowering transport costs,” he said.

He also highlighted the proposed eastern coastal development push, development of tourism destinations in Purvodaya states, and ‘turtle trails’ near key nesting sites to promote eco-tourism.

Other key takeaways for the state include enhanced focus on city economic regions, higher rural employment under the revamped Vikasit Bharat-Rozgar Guarantee and Aajeevika (Gramin) scheme, and support for high-value coastal agriculture such as coconut, cashew and sandalwood.

Speaking to the mediapersons in Sonepur, the CM said the state govt would align its industrial strategy with the Budget’s vision, with special emphasis on setting up textile units in cotton-growing districts like Balangir, Kalahandi and Subarnapur, and promoting district-specific industries based on local potential. State BJP president Manmohan Samal also praised the budget and its allocation for Odisha.

Former CM and leader of opposition Naveen Patnaik expressed strong disappointment, saying the Budget had failed to offer any meaningful benefits to Odisha, alleging that the state and its people had been largely ignored despite high expectations from the “double-engine” govt.

Naveen said the people of Odisha had hoped the Budget would provide fresh growth momentum through major investments in infrastructure, job creation and enhanced allocations due to the state. “Instead, Odisha has received very little,” Naveen said, adding that the overall thrust appeared skewed towards exploiting the state’s natural resources without adequate returns for its people.

While welcoming the proposal to establish a rare earth corridor, Naveen said the state has always played a crucial role in nation-building as a leading producer of key minerals. However, he flagged concern over repeated announcements on national waterways to link mineral-rich areas with ports, calling it a decade-old proposal with little progress on the ground.

The BJD president also criticised the exclusion of Odisha from the proposed seven high-speed rail corridors, calling it a major setback.

Equally baffling, he said, was the omission of Odisha from the Buddhist circuit development scheme, despite the state being home to important Buddhist heritage sites, including the ‘Diamond Triangle’.

“As the Budget stands, Odisha is being tapped for its resources but ignored when it comes to people-centric allocations,” Naveen said, urging the state BJP govt to take responsibility and ensure Odisha gets its rightful dues from the Centre.