Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said the Union Budget 2026–27 provides a powerful roadmap to transform Odisha into a major hub of economic progress in eastern India.
In a post on social media, Pradhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for presenting what he described as a futuristic, youth-centric, people-friendly and employment-driven budget. He said the Budget reinforces the vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, with special benefits for poor and middle-class families.
Highlighting key infrastructure push for the state, Pradhan said the development of National Waterway-5 along the Brahmani River and Mahanadi River, connecting Talcher–Angul to Paradip Port and Dhamra Port, along with the proposed Rare Earth Corridor, will take Odisha’s industrial and mineral ecosystem to a new level.
He further noted that the East Coast Development Corridor for Purvodaya states and a new freight corridor linking Dankuni in the east to Surat in the west are expected to unlock large-scale opportunities in trade and employment across Odisha’s industrial belt. The establishment of the National Institute of Design in eastern India, he added, will give fresh momentum to the state’s growth.
Calling it a truly people-centric budget, Pradhan said it prioritises farmers, women, youth, tribal communities and all sections of society in Odisha. Measures such as reducing the TCS rate for kendu leaf sellers from 5% to 2%, and providing special assistance for coconut, cashew and cocoa cultivation in coastal areas, reflect the Centre’s commitment to farmer welfare.
He also welcomed initiatives to connect women self-help groups and fisher organisations with markets through startups, while strengthening aquaculture in coastal regions. These steps, he said, will boost fishermen’s incomes, reinforce the blue economy and create new livelihood opportunities along Odisha’s coast.
Pradhan added that tourism-focused projects like “Turtle Trails” at coastal destinations, including Bhitarkanika National Park, will give Odisha tourism a fresh identity and further strengthen the state’s economy.