TNI Bureau: BJD President and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has claimed that Odisha’s latest ranking as the fifth most investment-friendly state in the country (based on FY 2023-24 report) is the result of two decades of reforms and prudent governance under his leadership. In a detailed Facebook post, Patnaik said the state’s transformation from financial distress in 2000 to becoming one of India’s top investment destinations reflects sustained policy reforms, fiscal discipline and the implementation of the 5T governance framework.

Referring to NITI Aayog’s latest Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) Report for 2023-24, Patnaik noted that Odisha secured an overall score of 52.4%, placing it among the country’s leading investment destinations. He highlighted the state’s strong fiscal management, pointing out that Odisha’s outstanding liabilities stood at just 16% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), while interest payments were only 1.38% of GSDP—the lowest in India. He also underscored Odisha’s dominant contribution to the country’s mineral and coal production.

The former Chief Minister argued that these achievements enabled the BJD government to fund landmark welfare programmes such as BSKY, KALIA, Mission Shakti, school transformation, tribal welfare, disaster management, infrastructure and irrigation projects without depending on additional financial support from the Centre.

Taking a swipe at the BJP government in Odisha, Patnaik said it was now celebrating achievements created during the BJD’s tenure. However, he expressed concern over what he described as the present government’s fiscal mismanagement, warning that reckless financial decisions could push Odisha back towards the bankruptcy-like situation that his government had inherited 25 years ago.

Patnaik thanked the people of Odisha, saying their trust and partnership made the state’s transformation into an investment and development success story possible.