Union Budget to boost Odisha’s agri, infra and tourism: Pradhan

Bhubaneswar: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said Odisha would be among the biggest beneficiaries of the Union Budget 2026-27, with major gains expected in agriculture, education, tourism, infrastructure and employment generation.Addressing a news conference on budget proposals, Pradhan said the budget, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, opens new avenues of development for Odisha and positions the state as a key driver of the country’s growth story. State BJP president Manmohan Samal was present at the press meet.Pradhan said Odisha has received a record Rs 10,928 crore railway allocation in the budget — nearly 13 times higher than the average annual allocation during 2009-14 — which will significantly accelerate rail infrastructure projects across the state.

He said the development of National Waterway No. 5 from Talcher-Angul to Paradip-Dhamra through the Brahmani and Mahanadi rivers would strengthen logistics, boost industrial activity and reduce transportation costs.The minister said the proposed ‘Rare Earth Corridor’ and the ‘East Coast Industrial Corridor’ will take Odisha’s industrial and mineral ecosystem to a new level and create large-scale employment opportunities, particularly for the youth.

“Odisha would emerge as a major hub in the new-age economy through optimal use of advanced skills and its rich mineral resources,” he said.Highlighting benefits for agriculture and rural livelihood, Pradhan said the budget would bring a major transformation to the lives of nearly 15 lakh kendu leaf workers and tribal communities, with reduction of tax on kendu leaves from 5% to 2%. He added that special assistance for coconut, cashew and cocoa cultivation in coastal districts would boost farmer incomes.Pradhan said irrigation infrastructure would be bolstered through the development of reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars, which would prove particularly beneficial for KBK districts. He also said women self-help groups and fishermen’s organisations would be linked to markets through startup-based models, strengthening the blue economy and creating new livelihood opportunities along the coast.On tourism, the minister said projects such as ‘Turtle Trails’ at places like Gahirmatha would give Odisha’s tourism sector a new identity while also strengthening the local economy.

He said the budget lays special emphasis on developing world-class tourism destinations in the state.Pradhan said education would be another major beneficiary, with new opportunities for skill development, STEM education for girls and employment-linked learning initiatives that will help make Odisha’s youth future-ready. “Through initiatives like Purvodaya, Odisha is being envisioned as a growth engine of eastern India,” he added.