Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah embarked on a one-day visit to Odisha today, marking a significant milestone in the state’s development journey. During his visit, Shah inaugurated and laid foundation stones for various projects worth over Rs 3,275 crore, focusing on cooperative sectors, national security, and economic growth.
The event, held at the IDCO Exhibition Ground in Unit-3, Bhubaneswar, was attended by prominent dignitaries including Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Deputy Chief Ministers Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallick, and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi.
In his address, Shah praised Odisha’s rich cultural heritage and emphasised the nation’s progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He highlighted recent advancements in artificial intelligence through global summits and reiterated the goal of eradicating Naxalism from India. Shah commended the new Odisha government for its vision of ‘Vikasit Odisha-2036’ and ‘Vikasit Bharat-2047’, noting initiatives like providing ₹3,100 MSP for paddy farmers and empowering women through the Subhadra Yojana. He expressed confidence that these efforts would lead to comprehensive social and economic development, ensuring every citizen’s inclusion in the growth process under CM Majhi’s leadership.
Chief Minister Majhi echoed these sentiments, stating that the projects would empower farmers, youth, and women, leading to a prosperous Odisha. He lauded Shah’s contributions to strengthening Odisha Police, which has resulted in a conviction rate for crimes against women rising to 41% in the first half of 2025, up from 6.7% in 2023. Majhi aligned the state’s cooperative efforts with the national motto ‘Sahkar Se Samriddhi’ (Cooperation for Prosperity), emphasising how cooperatives integrate marginalised communities into economic activities.
A key highlight was Odisha becoming the first state in India to implement the Cooperative Policy 2026, aligned with the national framework to foster ‘Sahkar Se Samriddhi’ and ‘Samriddh Odisha-2036’. Under White Revolution 2.0, several dairy-related projects were launched, including the inauguration of 1,566 PACS Common Service Centres and the signing of an MoU for establishing a campus of the School of Tribhuvan Cooperative University.
The revival of the Badamba Cooperative Sugar Mill was a major achievement, fulfilling the dreams of lakhs of locals. An MoU was signed with Indian Potash Limited for its restoration. Additionally, OMFED, Odisha’s dairy powerhouse, saw the inauguration of a new milk processing plant in Tangi, Khordha, capable of handling 30,000 liters per day. OMFED already collects over 5 lakh liters of milk daily, providing employment to farmers and supplying 30 tons of pure ghee monthly to the Shree Jagannath Temple, preserving cultural purity.
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Shah also inaugurated an exhibition on the citizen-centric new criminal justice codes. An MoU was signed between Odisha Police, National Defence University, and IIT Bhubaneswar for advanced training. To bolster cybersecurity, 20 new cyber crime and economic offence police stations were launched across 20 districts virtually. Furthermore, 24 new police stations were inaugurated to enhance public-oriented security.
Earlier in the day, Shah attended the CISF Foundation Day at Mundali in Cuttack and later dedicated IFFCO’s new Sulfuric Acid Plant (SAP-3) at Paradip to the nation. Other launches included infrastructure for 141 PACS, the RCS office portal, NCOL’s Direct-to-Consumer portal, NCEL’s ‘Coop Mark’, and an AI-based multilingual digital education platform ‘Sahavidya’.
Two dairy cooperative societies received registration certificates, beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Kamdhenu Yojana got subsidies, and an MoU with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) was signed for upgrading a training and demonstration center. A video presentation showcased various projects, with 69 initiatives worth ₹1,159.03 crore inaugurated and foundations laid for 130 projects worth ₹2,116.06 crore.
Six MoUs were also signed for additional projects. These developments are set to boost Odisha’s agricultural, dairy, and security sectors, aligning with the broader vision of a developed India.
