Odisha is always a natural choice for investments, the host of advantages the state enjoys in terms of connectivity, mineral reserves and sound government policies have combined to make an investment destination that it always deserved to be.
Odisha’s geo-eco position is both ideal and idyllic. Rich mineral resources and abundant water sources are a natural corollary to its geographical position. While agriculture remains the principal occupation of the majority of the state’s population, a growing awareness about new avenues is all set to take the state to new heights in economic development.
With 4.74% of India’s landmass and home to 3.58% of the country’s population Odisha has 3 revenue divisions, 30 districts, 58 sub-divisions, 171 tahasils, 314 community development blocks, 6234 gram panchayats and 51,349 villages. Nearly 85% of its population live in the rural areas and mostly depend on agriculture and allied activities for their livelihood. The State is highly rich in mineral resources and has abundant water resources. The ground water of the State that can be replenished has been assessed to be 21.01 lakh hectare meter out of which 18.31% has been harnessed as on 31.3.2004. The annual draft for irrigation use is 3.00 lakh hm and the gross annual utilization of ground water is estimated to be 3.84 lakh hm. The total cultivated land of the State is nearly 58.40 lakh hectares, of which only 26.96 lakh hectares were covered under irrigation by the end of 2004-05.
The State is divided into ten agro climatic zones with varied characteristics. Its land can be classified into three categories: low (25.6%), medium (33.6%) and up-lands (40.8%) with various types of soil like red, yellow, red-loamy, alluvial, coastal alluvial, laterite and black soil etc. with low and medium texture.
The population of Odisha, which was 316.60 lakh in 1991, has increased to 368.05 lakh in 2001 exhibiting a decennial growth rate of 16.25 percent as against 20.06 percent in the previous decade and 23.86 percent at all-India level. The density of population, that was 203 per sq.km. in 1991 has increased to 236 per sq.km. in 2001 and is much lower than the all-India average of 313 per sq.km. Increase in the literacy rate from 49.10 percent in 1991 to 63.08 percent in 2001 is a milestone. The male and female literacy rates have gone up to 75.35 percent and 50.51 percent respectively in 2001
The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) at constant prices (1993-94) of Odisha has increased from Rs.18,536.66 crore in 1993-94 to Rs.29,487.94 crore (Advn. Estimate) in 2004-05 registering an annual compound growth rate of 4.31 percent over the period. Similarly, the Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) commonly known as State Income increased from Rs.16,184.88 crore in 1993-94 to Rs.25, 178.98 crore (Advn. Estimate) in 2004-05 at 1993-94 prices. The per capita income at constant prices (1993-94) has been estimated at Rs.6,555/- in 2004-05 (Advn. Estimates) against Rs.4,896/- in 1993-94.