The Odisha government on Wednesday evening approved its largest-ever investment pipeline in a single clearance exercise, with the High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA) clearing 27 projects involving a cumulative investment of Rs 2,47,115.70 crore across 15 districts.
The HLCA meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, cleared 27 mega projects covering a wide range of sectors, including artificial intelligence-led data centres, semiconductors, green energy, power, steel, healthcare, chemicals, textiles, shipbuilding and advanced manufacturing. The projects have the potential to generate 50,162 jobs.
Four projects in IT, IT-enabled services and data centres account for about Rs 1,42,941 crore, or more than half of the total investment approved by the authority.
Among the major projects, High Density Data Centre Ltd has proposed to invest Rs 1,04,550 crore in an integrated data centre park in Khordha, with the potential to create 1,000 jobs.
HCL Technologies will set up an AI-optimised data centre in Khordha with an investment of Rs 14,257 crore and employment potential of 385. Sentraforge AI Ltd will invest Rs 22,634 crore in an AI data centre and global capability centre in Puri, potentially generating 2,320 jobs, while RKD Construction will set up a data centre in Cuttack with an investment of Rs 1,500 crore.
The latest approvals indicate an attempt to build a new industrial base around digital infrastructure and technology-intensive industries alongside the state’s established sectors.
Power and energy formed the second major pillar of the record investment round, with four projects involving Rs 54,287.70 crore. NLC India Ltd will establish a 3,200 megawatt (MW) thermal power plant in Debagada with an investment of Rs 34,763.51 crore and another 1,080 MW thermal power plant in Anugola district with an investment of Rs 11,604.19 crore.
The approvals also included two pumped-storage hydro projects — a 600 MW project by BEKEM Infra Projects in Rayagada involving Rs 4,020 crore and a 750 MW project by Sri Avantika Contractor (I) Ltd in Koraput involving Rs 3,900 crore.
The steel sector continued to be an important component of Odisha’s industrial base. Two projects in Sundargada involving Rs 14,000 crore have been cleared by the HLCA.
Rungta Mines has proposed to invest Rs 9,000 crore in the expansion of its integrated steel plant, with potential employment of 12,000, while Shakambhari Ispat and Power will invest Rs 5,000 crore in an integrated steel, cement and captive power complex, with potential employment of 5,000.
Another emerging area that received significant investment was lab-grown diamond manufacturing. Five projects involving a combined Rs 10,680 crore have been approved. These included investments by Dholakia Lab Grown Diamond, Greenlab Diamonds, Neorganic Diamonds, Nouveau Diamonds and Supreme Green Diamonds. Together, the projects have the potential to generate 8,850 jobs.
In the advanced manufacturing sector, SICSEM Pvt Ltd’s proposal to establish a facility for manufacturing silicon carbide wafers and gallium nitride in Khordha with an investment of Rs 2,078 crore has been approved. Aare Solar will also set up a 10 GWh advanced LFP battery energy storage system assembly plant in Nuapada with an investment of Rs 1,050 crore, while Larsen and Toubro will establish a Rs 5,000-crore green energy equipment manufacturing unit in Ganjam.
The green energy portfolio extended to Kendrapada, where Jiribam Solar Power will invest Rs 3,000 crore in a facility to produce green hydrogen, green ammonia, green methanol and electro-sustainable aviation fuel. The project has the potential to generate employment for 1,000 people.
L&T has also secured approval for an integrated advanced fabrication and manufacturing complex involving Rs 2,100 crore and a shipbuilding and ship-repair complex involving another Rs 1,000 crore, both in Ganjam. The two projects are expected to generate 1,700 jobs.
In healthcare infrastructure, Adani Foundation has proposed to establish a 1,000-bed multi-super-speciality hospital in Khordha with an investment of Rs 2,150 crore and potential employment of 1,700.
Tata Steel will invest Rs 3,329 crore in a 7 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) iron ore grinding unit with a slurry pipeline in Jajpur, strengthening the mineral-to-metal logistics chain serving the Kalinganagar industrial region.
Among others, Grasim Industries will invest Rs 1,425 crore in a basic chemical products manufacturing plant in Ganjam, Talcher Gasifier and Chemicals has proposed to invest Rs 1,750 crore in a chemical manufacturing unit in Dhenkanal, Leaomax Textile will invest Rs 1,200 crore in a composite textile mill in Kalahandi, and Chiripal Poly Films will set up an OHT tyre manufacturing unit in Bhadrak with an investment of Rs 1,125 crore.
Apart from the Rs 1.43 trillion earmarked for data centres, IT-enabled services and AI and Rs 54,287.70 crore for power and renewable energy, the approved pipeline included Rs 14,000 crore in steel and downstream industries, Rs 10,680 crore in lab-grown diamonds and Rs 6,050 crore in green energy equipment.
The chief minister said the scale and diversity of the approvals reflected growing investor interest in Odisha, with investments ranging from data centres, AI and semiconductors to green energy, advanced manufacturing, steel and healthcare. “The government’s focus is on attracting investment, creating employment and building infrastructure across different regions of the state,” Majhi said.
