Odisha eyes $400 billion investment in Bhubaneswar-Kataka-Puri-Paradeep economic zone

Bhubaneswar: Chief Secretary Anu Garg chaired a high-level coordination meeting on the proposed Bhubaneswar-Kataka-Puri-Paradeep Economic Region (BKPPER) project at Lok Seva Bhawan here on Sunday.

The proposed economic region project is billed as a significant step towards achieving the goals of Vision Odisha 2036 and Viksit Bharat 2047. The ambitious project aims to generate more than 4 million non-agricultural jobs and attract over $400 billion in corporate investment, positioning the region as a major engine of economic growth in Odisha.

The meeting reviewed 269 projects across 19 departments identified by NITI Aayog for the development of the economic region. Secretaries of various departments discussed inter-departmental coordination and the implementation of these projects to ensure integrated and sustainable growth.

The BKPPER economic region will seek to bring together Bhubaneswar’s strengths in IT and technology, Kataka’s traditional business and commercial ecosystem, Puri’s tourism and cultural potential, and Paradeep’s port-based industries and logistics capabilities.

The economic region comprises four districts — Khordha, Kataka, Puri and Jagatsinghpur — and covers 19 urban areas. The government aims to develop BKPPER as an inclusive, liveable and sustainable economic region, while strengthening connectivity, infrastructure, investment opportunities and employment generation.

The coordinated development of the four districts is expected to create stronger economic linkages among urban centres, industries, tourism destinations and logistics hubs. The initiative is being viewed as a major long-term intervention to accelerate regional economic growth and strengthen Odisha’s contribution to India’s development vision.