Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for development projects worth more than Rs 3,770 crore in Odisha, highlighting the central government’s focus on strengthening the cooperative sector, expanding dairy infrastructure and modernising the criminal justice system.
Speaking at a programme in Bhubaneswar, Shah said the large number of projects launched in a single day marked an important step in accelerating Odisha’s development. The initiatives included projects of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), the Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (OMFED), and several schemes of the Odisha government.
Shah emphasised that the cooperative sector will play a central role in transforming rural economies in the state. He said the Ministry of Cooperation and the Odisha government will jointly work to establish a strong cooperative base in every village, drawing inspiration from the successful dairy cooperative model of Gujarat. According to him, Odisha has abundant water resources and significant potential to expand dairy and fisheries activities through cooperative institutions.
Projects launched under NDDB and OMFED are expected to strengthen milk procurement, processing and marketing infrastructure in the state. Shah said that expanding dairy cooperatives would create sustainable income opportunities for farmers and rural households, particularly women. He added that the government plans to launch a major campaign to establish dairy cooperatives across villages to increase farmer participation and improve rural livelihoods.
Shah also said that several other initiatives linked to the cooperative sector are being taken forward in Odisha. These include the revival of the Badamba Sugar Mill by Indian Potash Limited with support from the Ministry of Cooperation. He noted that efforts are underway to restart closed sugar mills across the country through cooperative participation.
Providing details of the development push, Shah said three projects of the Ministry of Home Affairs, four projects of the Ministry of Cooperation and 173 projects of the Odisha government were inaugurated or had their foundation stones laid during the programme. Of the state government projects, 61 projects worth Rs 1,230 crore have been completed while 112 projects worth Rs 2,116 crore were inaugurated.
A major highlight of the event was the announcement of a campus of the National Forensic Sciences University in Odisha. Shah said the foundation stone of the campus was laid and a temporary campus was also inaugurated. The institution will offer around 30 courses and is expected to train nearly 2,500 students in forensic science in the coming years.
He said strengthening forensic capabilities is crucial for improving the country’s criminal justice system. The government is establishing forensic science laboratories and campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University across India to build skilled manpower in this field. Under the new criminal laws, forensic investigation has been made mandatory for crimes punishable with more than seven years of imprisonment.
Shah noted that Odisha has already achieved a conviction rate of over 87 percent in FIRs registered under the new criminal laws, which he said reflects the growing use of scientific evidence in criminal investigations.
The minister also said India is moving rapidly towards eliminating Naxalism and expressed confidence that the country would become free from the menace by the end of March 2026. Development programmes in tribal and previously Naxal-affected regions are being accelerated to ensure inclusive growth.
During the visit, Shah also inaugurated a new sulphuric acid stream at the fertiliser complex of IFFCO in Paradip, which is expected to contribute to domestic fertiliser production and industrial raw material supply.
Shah said the Centre and the Odisha government will continue to work together through the cooperative sector to bring prosperity to farmers, rural communities and women across the state.
