Prime Highlights
- Anu Garg said the vision of a developed India can only be realised when women are empowered to build enterprises and contribute equally to economic transformation.
- Hemant Sharma said the government’s responsibility is to remove barriers and ensure women entrepreneurs have equal access to finance, markets and mentorship.
Key Facts
- Odyssey Leisure Pvt Ltd’s ₹350 crore hospitality investment across three districts is the largest single commitment among the 13 MoUs signed.
- Odisha now has more than 1.44 million women-led MSMEs, with over 1.24 lakh new enterprises registered in the last financial year alone.
Background
The Odisha government secured investment commitments worth ₹913.13 crore this week after signing 13 MoUs with women entrepreneurs, as part of a push to build a women-led industrial ecosystem in the state.
The agreements, formalised during an event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry’s Indian Women Network in Bhubaneswar, are expected to generate 4,302 direct jobs. The initiative forms part of the state government’s strategy to broaden industrial growth beyond large corporate investments by promoting women as entrepreneurs, employers and investors.
The proposed investments span sectors including sustainable agriculture, food processing, agritech, steel, renewable energy equipment, garment manufacturing, biotechnology and hospitality. Odyssey Leisure Pvt Ltd committed the largest sum, pledging ₹350 crore for hospitality projects across three districts, with potential to create 600 jobs. World Hotels Pvt Ltd proposed a ₹100 crore hospitality project, while Amiha announced a similar investment in agribusiness. Elmentoz Research Pvt Ltd and Saha Steel Group committed ₹80 crore and ₹60 crore respectively for biotechnology and steel ventures.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg said women formed the backbone of families and society and represented the driving force behind India’s progress, adding that the vision of a developed India could only be realised when women were empowered to build enterprises and contribute equally to economic growth. She said the state government remained committed to making women equal partners in industrial growth and entrepreneurship.
Additional Chief Secretary Hemant Sharma said Odisha’s industrial landscape was being reshaped by entrepreneurs who innovated without boundaries, with women emerging as leaders of this shift. He said the government’s role was to remove barriers and ensure equal access to finance and mentorship.
Women entrepreneur registrations in the state have risen more than eightfold over six years, from 49,454 in 2020-21 to over four lakh in 2025-26.
