Bhubaneswar: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi to develop Sambalpur-Sundargarh-Jharsuguda-Bargarh in western Odisha and Angul-Dhenkanal in central Odisha as two city economic regions on lines of the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip Economic Region.In a letter to the CM on Thursday, Pradhan said the Sambalpur-Sundargarh-Jharsuguda-Bargarh belt is strategically located around the Hirakud dam and along the Mahanadi and Brahmani rivers.
“With rich agricultural resources, abundant minerals, a strong industrial base, vibrant cultural traditions and diverse tourism assets, the region has the potential to drive growth across agriculture, services and manufacturing,” he said.Major industries in steel, aluminium, coal and power, along with agro-based enterprises and the globally known Sambalpuri handloom, give the region a balanced economic ecosystem with scope for large-scale value addition and jobs.He added that institutions such as NIT Rourkela, IIM Sambalpur, VSSUT Burla and Sambalpur University position the area as an emerging hub for knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurship.Its location within a 300-km radius of Bhubaneswar, Raipur, Ranchi and Visakhapatnam, he said, makes it a natural candidate for development as a CER, supported by strong rail-road-air connectivity and inherent cultural and natural strengths.Pradhan also pitched for CER status for the Angul-Dhenkanal cluster, calling it one of the most strategically important industrial belts for both Odisha and India. Centrally located, the region acts as a gateway between coastal ports and the mineral-rich western hinterland, forming a natural industrial and power corridor. Rich in coal, chromite and iron ore, the area supports heavy industry, advanced manufacturing, renewable energy and downstream sectors.Angul houses major energy and industrial complexes, including the NALCO smelter, NTPC Kaniha, Talcher Super Thermal Power Station and the extensive MCL coalfields, which together underpin Odisha’s energy security. Dhenkanal, Pradhan noted, complements this with steel, ferro-alloy and emerging defence manufacturing units, aided by its proximity to Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Paradip. Institutions such as IGIT Sarang and the Skill India Centre in Angul ensure a steady supply of trained manpower. Tourism assets like Satkosia Tiger Reserve, Kapilash Temple and Saptasajya hills, he said, widen the scope for sustainable economic opportunities.Stating that both proposed clusters reflect the vision of ‘Purvodaya’, the Union minister requested the chief minister to initiate steps to develop the two zones as CERs to enable balanced regional growth and position Odisha as a key economic driver.
