The Odisha government has approved 27 industrial projects worth more than Rs 2.45 lakh crore. The projects are expected to create employment opportunities for over 50,000 people.

The proposals were cleared at a High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA) meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday.

The projects will be developed across 15 districts of Odisha. They cover several sectors, including data centres, artificial intelligence (AI), power, renewable energy, steel, semiconductors, lab-grown diamonds, green hydrogen, healthcare, chemicals, textiles, shipbuilding and advanced manufacturing.

Data Centres Lead Investment

Data centres and IT-related projects account for the largest share of the proposed investment. Four projects in the IT, ITES and data centre segment involve a combined investment of around Rs 1,42,941 crore.

The approved projects include an integrated data centre by High Density Data Centre Ltd in Khurda. HCL Technologies Ltd will also set up an AI-optimised data centre in Khurda.

In addition, Sentraforge AI Ltd has proposed a data centre and global capability centre in Puri. RKD Construction Private Ltd will develop a data centre in Cuttack.

Major Investments in Energy and Steel

The power and renewable energy sector will receive four major projects with a combined investment of Rs 54,287.70 crore.

Meanwhile, two steel and downstream projects are planned in Sundargarh. Together, they involve an investment of Rs 14,000 crore.

The state has also approved a major healthcare project. The Adani Foundation plans to establish a 1,000-bed multi-speciality hospital in Khurda with an investment of Rs 2,150 crore.

Overall, the approvals highlight Odisha's push to attract investment across emerging technologies, manufacturing, infrastructure and other key industries. The projects are also expected to support wider regional industrial development across the state.