New Delhi: In a significant intellectual and policy-driven initiative, the Pravasi Odia Vikash Samiti (POVS), the largest Odia diaspora organisation, organised a dialogue on Vision Odisha-2036 at Delhi’s Constitution Club on May 16.
Held against the stirring backdrop of Odisha’s approaching centenary as a separate State in 2036, the dialogue revolved around the theme ‘An Advanced Odisha: The Pathway to a Developed Bharat.’ The programme commenced under the leadership of POVS president Dr. Surya Narayan Mishra and organisation’s general secretary Er. Sushanta Mahapatra.
Elucidating the theme in his welcome address, POVS president Dr. Surya Narayan Mishra underscored the urgent need to reclaim Odisha’s lost glory and emphasised the collective responsibility of Odias across the globe in restoring the State to its historic stature.
A vision document, edited by Dr. Sukanta Mahapatra and Dr. Krishnapriya Sahu, was unveiled on the occasion, charting an ambitious roadmap for Odisha’s civilisational resurgence, economic transformation, and strategic future.
Political Panel: Odisha’s developmental roadmap
The first session brought together a political panel featuring former Union Minister and Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi and Lekhashree Samantasinghar, senior general secretary of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The discussion focused on Odisha’s infrastructure expansion, use of natural resources, agricultural potential, port-led development, and administrative reforms. The session was moderated by Editor of the digital news platform ‘Newsroom’ Manoranjan Mishra.
Media Panel: Odisha and national media narrative
The second session, dedicated to media and public discourse, was attended by Prof. KG Suresh, Director of the India Habitat Centre (IHC), and Ruben Banerjee, former general secretary of Editors Guild of India. The session was moderated by senior multimedia journalist Saswat Panigrahi. The session witnessed an indepth discussion on the priorities and responsibilities of national media, along with Odisha’s representation in mainstream discourse. The panellists also debated the role of media in balancing positive and negative narratives and explored how Odisha’s culture, tourism and developmental story could be featured more effectively in the national media.
Industry and economic vision for 2036
The third session, which focused on transforming Odisha into the economic powerhouse of eastern India by 2036, was attended by Dr. Partha Sarathi Mishra, Director and Additional Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises, Government of Odisha Government, and Dr. Manisha Acharya, Managing Director, WEneurs Forum. The session was moderated by POVS vice-president Priyadarshi Bal. The speakers stressed the need for industrial acceleration, entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategic investment to position Odisha as a major economic force in the coming decades.
Bureaucracy and Governance in Building Vision Odisha
The fourth and final session examined the role of bureaucracy and governance in translating the Vision Odisha dream into reality. The panel included Ambassador Amarendra Khatua, former Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Prabhakar Sahu, Programme Director at NITI Aayog, and Subhranshu Acharya, CMD of National Small Industries Corporation. The session was moderated by Piyush Mohapatra. The speakers offered their perspectives on policy execution, governance reforms, institutional efficiency, and the administrative architecture required to build a future-ready Odisha.
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