Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday pitched a “two-coast strategy”, urging industry leaders to align operations across India’s western and eastern seaboards to balance growth and boost competitiveness.Speaking to industry leaders during a visit to Mundra Port on the second day of his three-day Gujarat trip, Majhi said balanced coastal development is critical for long-term growth. “The east coast will play a defining role in the next decade,” he said.Emphasising that India’s growth cannot remain one-sided, the CM said the next phase of industrial expansion must be driven by the east coast, positioning Odisha as a natural gateway for the country’s next growth cycle.He noted that while the west coast has emerged as a hub of maritime trade and industry, the east coast is at an inflection point, with Odisha ready to replicate and scale similar success. “What has been achieved on the west must now be expanded on the east. Odisha has the ecosystem, connectivity and policy support,” he said.Highlighting Odisha’s strategic access to Southeast and East Asia and the Indo-Pacific, Majhi underscored its growing role in India’s global trade and supply chains.The CM-led delegation toured Mundra Port, including the container jetty and VLCC jetty, showcasing large-scale cargo handling. The team also visited industrial facilities, including copper manufacturing, solar cell and wind turbine component units.Majhi said the state has built a strong investment pipeline, with 433 proposals worth Rs 8.37 lakh crore approved in the past two years and 148 projects worth Rs 2.86 lakh crore already grounded. “Investment intent is translating into implementation with speed and scale,” he said.With key ports such as Dhamra, Paradip and Gopalpur driving connectivity and industrial clusters, Odisha is positioning itself as a major growth engine on the east coast, he added.
