Bhubaneswar, March 13 Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Friday said the state aims to contribute 5 per cent to the country’s GDP by 2047.
She made this statement while inaugurating a two-day global summit on the blue economy at the Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhawan.
"To achieve this ambitious target, key contributions are expected from fisheries, maritime infrastructure, coastal tourism, and marine biotechnology through the Odisha Marine Biotechnology Research & Innovation Corridor (OMBRIC)," she said.
Presenting the state's vision for a 'Developed Odisha' by 2036, Garg highlighted the state's economy, demographics, geography, ecosystem, and its 575 km coastline.
Union Secretary of Earth Sciences, Ravichandran, emphasized the unexplored potential of the oceans, noting that over 95 per cent of the deep ocean remains uncharted globally, while highlighting opportunities in offshore energy, marine biotechnology, and the challenges of climate impacts, coastal erosion, and marine pollution.
Ambassador of Timor-Leste to India, Karlito Nunes, shared insights on his country's focus on strengthening marine and coastal sectors and highlighted the importance of international cooperation and partnerships in advancing Blue Economy initiatives.
Commerce and transport department principal secretary NBS Rajput emphasized the need for stronger collaboration, improved infrastructure, innovation, and sustainable practices to strengthen key sectors such as fisheries and aquaculture and support coastal livelihoods.