The 2nd State Level Insurance Committee (SLIC) Meeting of Odisha, covering the quarters ending April–June 2025 and July–September 2025, was held today at Orchid Hall, Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar.
The meeting was chaired by Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh, IAS, and attended by senior government officials and top executives from life, general, and health insurance companies.
Principal Secretary (Finance) Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra, IAS; Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts) Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, IAS; Additional Secretary (Finance) Sagarika Hota, IAS, and Member (Distribution), IRDAI, Satyajit Tripathy were among the key government participants.
The insurance industry was represented by Managing Director (LIC) Ratnakar Pattanaik; MD & CEO, Bharti AXA Life Insurance Parag Raja; Executive Director, Shriram General Insurance Shashikant Dahuja; National Head, Zurich Kotak General Insurance Shailendra Sharma; and representatives from all major public and private insurers.
The meeting focused on bridging the trust deficit between insurance companies and the public. DC-cum-ACS Deoranjan Kumar Singh stressed the need to restore confidence among citizens. Principal Secretary (Finance) Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra highlighted the importance of greater awareness about filing and settling claims under various schemes.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary (HT&H) Smt. Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar called for tailored, affordable insurance products for weavers and artisans. IRDAI Member (Distribution) Satyajit Tripathy urged insurers to expand coverage in the SME sector. LIC Managing Director Ratnakar Pattanaik advocated digital innovation and skilled grassroots agents to deepen insurance penetration.
Participants deliberated on strategies to improve awareness, accessibility, and affordability of insurance products in both urban and rural areas. Insurance companies were directed to develop low-cost schemes for vulnerable sections of society and for communities in regions prone to natural calamities.
The meeting concluded with a collective resolve to make insurance more inclusive and trustworthy across Odisha.
