Bhubaneswar: A four-district economic corridor covering 19 urban areas is taking shape in Odisha with the proposed Bhubaneswar-Kataka-Puri-Paradip Economic Region (BKPPER) aiming to integrate infrastructure, industry, urban development and investment across one of the state’s most economically significant belts.
The ambitious initiative is expected to generate more than 40 lakh non-farm jobs and attract corporate investment of over $400 billion, according to officials. The state government is now working towards coordinated implementation of 269 identified projects spanning 19 sectors.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Saturday said BKPPER could become a major growth engine for Odisha and play a crucial role in achieving the state’s Vision 2036 and Vision 2047 targets. She stressed the need for departments to work together to translate the regional development plan into tangible outcomes.
Garg made the remarks while chairing an inter-departmental coordination meeting on BKPPER at Kharavel Bhawan. She called for innovative and collaborative approaches to ensure that projects under the initiative are implemented in a timely and effective manner.
The proposed economic region encompasses Khordha, Kataka, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts and seeks to create a contiguous, liveable and sustainable economic corridor. Its development is expected to bring together the economic strengths of Bhubaneswar and surrounding areas with the industrial, port and logistics potential of the region.
Housing and Urban Development Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee presented the progress of the initiative and outlined priority areas for moving the project forward. She said BKPPER could make a substantial contribution to Odisha’s GDP and support the broader objective of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The development strategy envisages integrated interventions covering multimodal transportation, improved mobility, affordable housing, pedestrian-friendly urban spaces, climate-resilient ecosystems and urban regeneration.
BKPPER is one of four pilot projects being developed across the country under the Union government’s City Economic Region Scheme. NITI Aayog, in collaboration with state government departments, has identified 269 projects across 19 sectors as part of the Odisha initiative.
Officials at the meeting reviewed the status of the projects and discussed mechanisms for better coordination between departments. Project mapping through the PM Gati Shakti portal and the next course of action were also examined.
The economic region is intended to capitalise on Bhubaneswar’s IT and technology ecosystem, traditional trade, tourism and cultural assets while integrating these with Paradip’s port-led industrial and logistics capabilities.
The state is also exploring greater cooperation with the Union government for implementation of the initiative. Financing support from the Asian Development Bank has been proposed as a potential partnership avenue.
The recent Cabinet approval for the Capital Economic Region Development Authority (CERDA) is expected to strengthen the institutional framework for the project. The authority will facilitate a unified approach to regional planning, project implementation, financing and investment mobilisation across the BKPPER region.
Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh, along with Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Commissioners, Secretaries and senior officials from various departments, attended the meeting.
