The Odisha Cabinet on Friday approved four key proposals, including a Rs 6.1 billion allocation for the Mukhyamantri Sahari Bikash Yojana urban development scheme, aimed at upgrading city infrastructure and creating employment across urban areas in the state.Chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the Cabinet sanctioned the major urban infrastructure plan along with a Rs 1.11 billion initiative to promote biotechnology and life sciences over five years, positioning Odisha as a biotech hub in eastern India.In addition, the Cabinet waived a land premium of over Rs 26 million for the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), facilitating faster expansion of its regional operations on 0.64 acres at Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar.The irrigation sector also saw approval for the Chheligada Irrigation Project, budgeted at Rs 1.51 billion. This project includes building a concrete dam and a single-way canal system to provide assured irrigation to 6,260 hectares of farmland.These decisions reflect Odisha’s multi-sectoral strategy to drive economic growth, enhance urban living standards, and strengthen infrastructure across the state.Major Boost for BiotechnologyThe Cabinet endorsed an umbrella biotechnology scheme comprising 17 sub-programmes, underscoring the sector’s priority status in Odisha’s 2022 Industrial Policy Resolution. This scheme aims to foster skilled workforce development, research, innovation, and state-of-the-art infrastructure, with targeted incentives for industries, start-ups, and incubators.Collaboration between industry, academia, and research institutions will be promoted to harness biotechnology’s potential in agriculture, medicine, industry, and environmental applications.The Odisha Biotechnology Policy 2024 will further incentivise infrastructure development for product and service innovation, aiming to transform Odisha into a knowledge-driven bio-economy that significantly contributes to the state’s economic growth.Objectives of the Biotechnology Development Scheme1. Promote higher education, research, and infrastructure in promising biotechnology fields.2. Strengthen a vibrant ecosystem for innovation, incubation, investment, income, and impact to build industries.3. Align academic excellence, skilling, and capacity building with industry needs.4. Encourage product development, commercialisation, and intellectual property monetisation.5. Leverage breakthrough innovations for Odisha’s socio-economic development.These approvals mark a significant stride in Odisha’s ambition to become a modern, industrially advanced state with robust urban infrastructure and a thriving biotech sector.