Odisha will be nation’s growth engine: Guv

Bhubaneswar: Legislators of Opposition BJD and Congress staged a walkout from the Odisha Assembly on Tuesday during the address of Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, who called the State the nation’s “growth engine”. The Opposition MLAs claimed there was no coherence between the Governor’s claim and the ground reality.

The Budget session began with the singing of the national anthem and song, with the Opposition bench cooperating for around an hour. However, Congress and BJD members later staged a walkout in protest against the Governor’s claims in the speech. The Governor, who began his speech with the traditional greeting of ‘Jai Jagannath’, said Odisha will become the “growth engine” of a developed India.

“Odisha is no longer waiting to be recognised; it is ready to thrive, bloom and lead as the growth engine of ‘Viksit Bharat’,” he said. The Governor said the Odisha government has prepared a comprehensive vision document for 2036, when the State turns 100; and 2047, marking a centenary of India’s Independence.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on June 20, 2025, unveiled a vision document, which targets transformation of Odisha into USD 500-billion economy by 2036 and USD 1.5-trillion economy by 2047, increasing the State’s contribution to the country’s GDP from 3 per cent to 5 per cent, with average growth rising from 7 per cent to 9.5 per cent through reforms,” the Governor said.

The Governor expressed satisfaction over the achievements in anti-Naxal operations, with 48 Maoists neutralised, 78 arrested and 82 surrendered in the last five years.

“In 2025 alone, 25 Maoists were neutralised, including 17 in joint operations with Chhattisgarh Police and CRPF at the Nuapada-Gariyabandh border, while nine have been arrested and 29 surrendered,” he added.

Leader of the Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik said, “The Governor’s speech is long on words, but short on action.” Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam claimed there was no coherence between the Governor’s speech and the State government’s action.

“While the Governor is painting a rosy picture in the House, farmers, people belonging to the SC and ST communities, and youth are suffering,” Kadam told reporters.