Bhubaneswar, Jan 28 (FN Bureau) Union Minister of Railways, Electronics & IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Tuesday announced an investment of Rs.7,000 crore for IT initiatives in Odisha. Speaking at the sidelines of the Utkarsha Odisha-Make in Odisha Conclave 2025, Vaishnaw underscored the state’s growing significance in India’s digital landscape. Providing updates on India’s ambitious Semiconductor Mission, the Union Minister remarked that global confidence in India as a semiconductor destination has surged, with Odisha poised to play a critical role in this journey. He also highlighted the state’s remarkable talent pool, stating, “Odisha’s engineers and students are among the brightest globally and can drive this mission from their home state.”
To further strengthen semiconductor education and innovation, Vaishnaw announced that seven additional universities and colleges in Odisha will soon launch semiconductor programs. Highlighting India’s strides in Artificial Intelligence, he revealed that the country is progressing rapidly towards launching its own Large Language Model (LLM). “Through the India AI mission, we are building platforms to attract investments in AI compute facilities,” Vaishnaw stated. The Union Minister also announced plans to collaborate with the state government to establish an AI Compute Facility and Data Center in Odisha. He shared updates on India’s growing AI compute ecosystem, which has attracted bids to create 18,000 GPUs, signaling robust growth and opportunities in the sector.
Vaishnaw emphasized the government’s focus on nurturing talent through world-class facilities and programs. He noted the establishment of 5G labs across 100 universities, which have now expanded to 240 universities, offering access to cutting-edge EDA tools. “Odisha’s universities are at the forefront of this transformation,” he said, adding, “These initiatives will ensure our students are ready to innovate and lead on a global stage.” Reiterating the central government’s commitment to Odisha’s development, the Union Minister highlighted investments made in various sectors, including Rs.73,000 crore in the railway sector, Rs.5,033 crore in telecom, and Rs.7,000 crore in IT.
These investments, he said, will position Odisha as a key IT hub. Vaishnaw also unveiled plans to create 15 million sq. ft. of state-of-the-art facilities to attract IT companies to Odisha, enabling the state to emerge as a preferred destination for global IT firms. “We are committed to making Odisha an IT hub,” he said and added that with robust infrastructure, strategic investments, and a focus on talent, the state is poised to lead India’s technological revolution. The Make in Odisha Conclave 2025 continues to highlight the state’s growing prominence across sectors, the Minister added.