Bhubaneswar, August 15, 2026: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday announced a series of major initiatives focused on education, youth employment, agriculture and infrastructure while addressing the state-level celebrations of the 80th Independence Day at Mahatma Gandhi Marg in Bhubaneswar.
Unfurling the national flag, Majhi paid tribute to freedom fighters and outlined the state government’s vision of building a prosperous Odisha by 2036 and contributing to the national goal of a developed India by 2047.
Free Education from KG to PG
In a major push for education, the Chief Minister announced free education from Kindergarten to Postgraduate level in state-run institutions. He also extended the free textbook facility to students of Classes IX and X, which was earlier available only up to Class VIII.
The government plans to establish 2,200 Godabarish Mishra Model Primary Schools, while 26,000 teachers have already been recruited and the recruitment process for another 45,000 teachers has begun. The state will also establish 18 new government colleges in remote districts and four new universities.
More Opportunities for Government Job Aspirants
In a significant move aimed at expanding employment opportunities for young people, Majhi announced the removal of the six-attempt ceiling for the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) examination.
Under the revised provision, candidates will be able to appear for the examination until they reach the prescribed upper age limit. The maximum age limit for government recruitment has also been increased from 32 years to 42 years.
The Chief Minister also said the government would take strict action against examination-related corruption and irregularities.
Focus on Jobs and Skill Development
The Odisha government has set a target of creating at least three lakh employment opportunities over the next one to two years and 20 lakh jobs within five years. The state also plans to establish three new World Skill Centre facilities, Centres of Excellence in 25 ITIs and AI laboratories in 13 ITIs.
Majhi highlighted Odisha’s performance at IndiaSkills 2025–26, where the state secured 57 medals, and said skill development would remain central to preparing young people for emerging employment opportunities.
Assurance to Farmers
The Chief Minister also sought to clear confusion over registration requirements for paddy procurement. He clarified that AgriStack registration has no connection with P-PAS registration and assured farmers that paddy procurement would continue through the P-PAS system this year.
Majhi highlighted the government’s support for farmers, including paddy procurement at ₹3,100 per quintal and annual assistance of ₹10,000 to farmers. He also referred to the PM-Kisan and CM-Kisan initiatives as part of the state’s broader agricultural support framework.
Investment and Infrastructure Push
The Chief Minister said Odisha has attracted investment proposals worth approximately ₹21 lakh crore over the past two years. Of these, projects involving around ₹10 lakh crore have been approved, while projects worth about ₹3.5 lakh crore have been inaugurated or had their foundation stones laid. These investments, he said, have generated employment opportunities for around 2.5 lakh young people.
The state is also allocating 6.5% of its GSDP to infrastructure, with plans for three major expressways involving an estimated investment of ₹31,000 crore. The proposed Puri International Airport and other major economic infrastructure projects are also part of the development roadmap.
Vision for a Developed Odisha
Majhi said the government’s development agenda would focus on education, employment, investment, infrastructure, agriculture, women’s empowerment, skill development and social security.
Calling on citizens, particularly young people, to contribute to the state’s transformation, he said the coming decade should become “Odisha’s decade”. The government aims to build a prosperous Odisha by 2036, when the state completes 100 years, and a developed Odisha and India by 2047.
The Independence Day announcements position education, employability, agricultural income and investment-led growth as key pillars of Odisha’s development strategy over the coming years.
Leave a Reply