Bhubaneswar, February 17 Legislators from the opposition BJD and Congress staged a walkout from the Odisha Assembly on Tuesday during Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati's address, in which he described the state as the nation's "growth engine".
The opposition MLAs claimed there was a lack of coherence between the governor's claims and the actual situation.
The Budget session began with the singing of the national anthem and a song, with the opposition benches cooperating for about an hour.
However, members of the Congress and BJD later staged a walkout in protest against the governor's claims in his speech.
The governor, who began his speech with the traditional greeting of 'Jai Jagannath', said that Odisha would become the "growth engine" of a developed India.
"Odisha is no longer waiting to be recognized; it is ready to thrive, flourish, and lead as the growth engine of 'Viksit Bharat'," he said.
He said that the Odisha government had prepared a comprehensive vision document for 2036, when the state turns 100, and for 2047, marking the centenary of India's Independence.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a vision document on June 20, 2025, which aims to transform Odisha into a USD 500-billion economy by 2036 and a USD 1.5-trillion economy by 2047, increasing the state's contribution to the country's GDP from 3 per cent to 5 per cent, with an average growth rate rising from 7 per cent to 9.5 per cent through reforms," the governor said.
He also highlighted the government's commitment to building a "prosperous Odisha", with major infrastructure, industrial, and welfare initiatives underway.
He credited Modi with providing significant central support and approving key projects for the state.
The governor's speech highlighted a comprehensive development agenda focused on industrial growth, infrastructure modernization, and technological advancement, reaffirming the state government's commitment to transforming Odisha into a major contributor to India's growth.
He said that the state government was grateful to the central government for approving two state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing units in the state under the India Semiconductor Mission, involving an investment of over Rs 2,066 crore.
"Infrastructure is a key enabler of every dream of a prosperous Odisha by 2036," Kambhampati said.
He highlighted Odisha's strong position in the steel sector, noting that the state currently has 55 steel plants with an annual production capacity of approximately 45 million tones, accounting for nearly 23 per cent of the country's total steel production.
"Odisha also holds the first position in the production of steel and stainless steel in the country," Kambhampati said, adding that the state is prepared to scale up its capacity to supply 100 million tonnes of steel by 2030.
The governor said that Odisha has a major policy initiative with a total outlay of Rs 1,113.50 crore, to be implemented over a period of five years from 2025-26 to 2029-30, to strengthen biotechnology research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the state.
The governor said that the government has undertaken significant reforms in the minor minerals sector to enhance transparency and revenue generation.
As a result, revenue from minor minerals, which stood at Rs 1,195 crore in 2022-23, increased to Rs 1,776 crore in 2024-25, he said.
He pointed out that this reflects an annual growth rate of 19 per cent and an overall growth of more than 48 per cent over two years, demonstrating the positive impact of policy reforms and improved governance.
The governor expressed satisfaction over the achievements in anti-Naxal operations, with 48 Maoists neutralized, 78 arrested, and 82 surrendering in the last five years.
"In 2025 alone, 25 Maoists were neutralized, including 17 in joint operations with Chhattisgarh Police and CRPF at the Nuapada-Gariyabandh border, while nine have been arrested and 29 surrendered," he added.
Leader of the Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik said, "The governor's speech is long on words, but short on action."
Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam claimed there was no coherence between the governor's speech and the state government's action.
"While the governor is painting a rosy picture in the House, farmers, people belonging to the SC and ST communities, and youth are suffering," Kadam told reporters.