India’s infrastructure story just got a fresh boost, with the Adani Group unveiling a multi-sector investment plan worth Rs 33,081 crore in Odisha. The announcement came during the groundbreaking and inauguration of 36 industrial projects in Khordha, where the conglomerate outlined its roadmap spanning digital infrastructure, energy, and manufacturing.
The investments, led by Karan Adani, Managing Director of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, are expected to generate around 9,700 jobs, both directly and indirectly, reinforcing Odisha’s ambitions of emerging as a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2047.
Digital Push: Data Centre to Power Odisha’s Tech Future
A key highlight of the announcement is the development of a data centre in Info Valley, Bhubaneswar, backed by an investment of Rs 800 crore. The facility is expected to support emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital governance while creating around 200 skilled jobs.
“This project… is not a building full of servers. It is going to be Odisha’s claim on the digital economy, the infrastructure through which AI, cloud computing, and digital governance will flow for decades to come,” he added.
The move signals a clear push towards building digital backbone infrastructure in the state, aligning with India’s broader ambitions in the tech and data economy space.
Energy Backbone: Massive Thermal Power Project Near Cuttack
The largest chunk of the investment, Rs 30,181 crore, will go into setting up a thermal power plant near Cuttack. The project is aimed at ensuring a reliable electricity supply, a critical factor for sustaining industrial growth and supporting households.
The plant is expected to create nearly 7,000 jobs and enhance grid stability across the region.
“Growth without reliable power is growth that stalls. This plant will bring stability to the grid, security to industries, and predictability to millions of households and MSMEs whose future depends on consistent electricity,” Adani stated.
The initiative underscores the importance of energy security as a backbone for economic expansion.
Cement Manufacturing: Building Odisha’s Infrastructure Locally
Completing the triad of investments is a Rs 2,100-crore cement manufacturing unit near Cuttack. The facility is projected to employ around 2,500 people and contribute to local infrastructure development.
“Today we do the same, but the material is cement. And the structures we are building are hospitals, schools, roads, and homes. This plant will… ensure that Odisha builds its own future with its own hand from its own earth,” he noted.
The project ties into Odisha’s industrial ecosystem, enabling the state to utilise its own resources for construction and development.
Long-Term Vision Anchored in Odisha’s Strengths
Karan Adani emphasised that Odisha’s strengths lie in its mineral wealth, coastline, and young workforce, adding that the state government has played a supportive role in facilitating growth.
“The Vision 2036 and 2047 roadmap, a USD 500 billion economy by 2036, USD 1.5 trillion by 2047, is ambitious. But ambition untethered from foundation is just aspiration. What makes Odisha’s vision credible is that the foundation is here, the resources are here, the people are here, the governance reform is happening,” Adani said.
Reaffirming the Group’s long-term commitment, he noted that its engagement with Odisha is structural and deeply rooted, with the newly announced projects marking another step in that journey.
