New Delhi: Odisha is looking to expand its industrial base beyond mining and emerge as a major centre for chemical and petrochemical manufacturing, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said on Thursday at the 14th edition of India Chem 2026 in Mumbai.
Majhi said the state's natural resources, port connectivity and existing industrial infrastructure could help attract investments across the chemical and petrochemical value chain.
Highlighting the opportunities around Paradip, Gopalpur and Dhamra ports, he said these locations could help industries access domestic and international markets.
Paradip at the centre of downstream expansion
Majhi identified the Paradip Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR), Indian Oil Corporation Limited's refinery and petrochemical complex, and the Paradip Plastic Park as key assets for attracting downstream industries.
The infrastructure could support investment in polymers, packaging and technical textiles. At Gopalpur, he pointed to opportunities in refrigerants, fluorochemicals, green hydrogen and green ammonia. Coal-gasification projects at Talcher and Lakhanpur could also help diversify the state's industrial activity.
Investment proposals exceed Rs 22.50 lakh crore
Majhi said nearly 200 industrial units had been established in Odisha in less than two-and-a-half years, bringing investments of around Rs 3.52 lakh crore.
The state has received investment proposals worth more than Rs 22.50 lakh crore, of which over Rs 12.50 lakh crore have been approved by the High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA), he said.
He also cited the state's industrial policies, infrastructure and skilled workforce as factors that could attract investors. Institutions such as the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) and the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET) could provide further support to the sector.
Majhi invited investors to explore opportunities in Odisha, saying the state was ready to contribute to India's ambition of building a one-trillion-dollar chemical industry by 2040
