Interview Times 
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has been chosen as one of the four states, alongside Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Meghalaya, to participate in a study conducted by the Government of India in collaboration with the World Bank. The study aims to enhance private sector investment in infrastructure development across the state.
A high-level meeting on this initiative was held on Tuesday at Loka Seva Bhavan, chaired by Anu Garg, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary. The meeting saw the presence of a five-member delegation from the World Bank, which included senior Public-Private Partnership (PPP) specialists and advisors, along with key infrastructure department officials, secretaries, and representatives from the Directorate of PPP and the Finance Department.
The study focuses on assessing Odisha’s current infrastructure strategies and recommending ways to encourage greater private sector involvement. Speaking at the meeting, Garg highlighted the state’s revised PPP policy and its institutional frameworks for project appraisal. She further elaborated on Odisha’s recent initiatives aimed at attracting private sector participation, particularly in the social sectors.
Garg emphasized that Odisha’s long-term development blueprint, Vision 2036, is instrumental in driving the state’s multi-dimensional growth and earning global recognition. “Our focus is on fostering partnerships that can drive development in critical sectors while ensuring that the state remains a leader in infrastructure innovation,” she remarked.
The World Bank delegation’s primary goal is to evaluate the factors behind the success of past and ongoing infrastructure projects in Odisha, along with identifying challenges. They aim to share the state’s best practices with other states and global stakeholders. Additionally, the team is exploring ways to provide technical advisory services for upcoming infrastructure projects in Odisha.
