Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’
| Photo Credit: ANI
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi attributed policy-driven reforms, investor-friendly administration and sustainable industrial development to Odisha being bracketed among top five performers in NITI Aayog’s first-ever Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) 2026.
The NITI Aayog recently came up with the Investment Friendliness Index to understand how well Indian States were positioned to attract investments. The index had covered all 28 States and eight union territories (UTs) and evaluated what made a state attractive for investors, as well as the challenges investors face.
The index used a 100-point scale and serves as a benchmark for states to improve their investment environment. Each State was scored on different aspects using a mix of primary surveys and publicly available data.
As per the report five States identified as top performers include Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Odisha while 15 States were classified as frontrunners, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Eight States and Union Territories fell into the emerging performers category, while an equal number fell into the aspiring states category
“Odisha’s recognition among the top five investment-friendly states is a matter of immense pride for every Odia. This achievement reflects our collective commitment to transparent governance, industry-friendly policies and efficient service delivery. We thank our industry partners for their continued trust in Odisha,” said Mr. Majhi.
“This recognition is not our destination but a milestone. We will continue to undertake reforms, strengthen infrastructure and create an even more enabling ecosystem so that Odisha emerges as one of the most preferred investment destinations in India and globally,” he said.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Majhi said the transformative reforms introduced under the PM’s leadership, coupled with the strength of the “Double Engine Government” accelerated Odisha’s progress in infrastructure, industrialisation, connectivity, logistics, skilling and overall economic development.
“The recognition validates Odisha’s sustained focus on governance reforms, ease of doing business, institutional efficiency and investor facilitation. Through progressive policy interventions, digital governance, time-bound approvals, strengthened institutional mechanisms and a robust Single Window Clearance system, the State has created an enabling ecosystem that supports investment across diverse sectors,” CM pointed out.
Stating that Odisha’s development story extended beyond its traditional industrial strengths, he said the State was steadily emerging as a diversified manufacturing and services hub, attracting investments across different sectors.
Mr. Majhi observed that these investments are driving structural transformation across the State by strengthening industrial value chains, promoting balanced regional development, supporting MSMEs and startups, encouraging innovation, skill development and creating large-scale employment opportunities for Odisha’s youth.
Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain the collective efforts of Team Odisha in creating a responsive, transparent and globally competitive investment ecosystem played key role in identifying Odisha as being among top performers.
Published – July 22, 2026 09:38 am IST
