Bhubaneswar: The inaugural meeting of the State Level Steering Committee for drafting the Vision Document “Viksit Odisha @ 2036 for Viksit Bharat @ 2047” was held on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at Lok Seva Bhawan. The meeting, chaired by Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, marked a significant step towards shaping Odisha’s developmental trajectory in alignment with India’s aspirations for 2047.
During the meeting, the committee took stock of the progress made in the first round of discussions held by six Sectoral Groups of Secretaries. These groups are focused on key thematic areas, including the economy, industries and infrastructure, social and human development, culture and heritage, technology and innovation, good governance, and rural transformation. Preliminary presentations from these groups were shared, and suggestions for further development were discussed.
Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja emphasized the importance of this vision document, calling it a unique opportunity to create a realistic and aspirational roadmap for Odisha’s development by 2036. He urged the Sectoral Group of Secretaries to take a disciplined and focused approach in preparing the document, which would play a crucial role in ensuring the state meets its developmental goals.
Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, Anu Garg, provided an update on the work carried out by the Sectoral Groups. She highlighted the need for the Vision Document to focus on regional balance and socio-economic development. Garg also stressed the importance of incorporating international best practices across various sectors to ensure the document is both forward-looking and comprehensive. She further added that the document should aim to make Odisha a developed state by 2036, in line with India’s national aspirations for 2047.
Other key attendees included Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Satyabrata Sahoo; ACS, Steel and Mines Department, Surendra Kumar; and Principal Secretaries and Commissioner-cum-Secretaries from various Sectoral Groups. These officials, who are also members of the Steering Committee, actively participated in the discussions.
The committee agreed that inputs from a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including citizens, civil society organizations, policymakers, academia, business leaders, and public intellectuals, would be crucial in preparing the Vision Document. To facilitate this, a proposal to launch a web portal that will allow the public to provide feedback and suggestions was discussed. This digital platform will ensure that the vision document is inclusive and reflective of the aspirations of Odisha’s people.
