Contributions to
Modern Odisha
In 1980, Odisha was a land of immense potential but weighed down by economic stagnation. Shree Janaki Ballav Patnaik entered with a mandate to transform this reality. His philosophy was rooted in a singular truth: "Poverty can only be fought with production." Over two transformative decades, he dismantled the inertia of the past, replacing it with a roadmap of aggressive industrialisation, social equity, and cultural pride.
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Key Contributions
Explore J.B. Patnaik's transformative contributions across various fields. Click on any category to learn more about his visionary initiatives.
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The Golden Era: Shifting Odisha from Agrarian to Industrial Powerhouse
- Launched 'One Thousand Industries in One Thousand Days' with an investment target of Rs. 1000 crores
- Established massive industries including NALCO (Damanjodi & Angul), Paradeep Phosphates, Birla Tyres (Balasore), FACOR (Bhadrak), and the Ib Valley Thermal Power Plant
- Pioneered granting 'Industry Status' to non-traditional sectors like Hotels and the Film Industry, leading to a boom in tourism infrastructure and construction of Kalinga Studio
- Laid the groundwork for the IT revolution by establishing the Software Technology Park and Fortune Tower in Bhubaneswar, facilitating the entry of major companies like Infosys and Satyam
- Created 15 cold storage units to support farmers and agri-produce storage
- Established IDCO and revitalised IPICOL
- Facilitated major industrial investments including IFFCO and MESCO
- Developed industrial estates at Jagatpur, Rasulgarh, Chandaka, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, and Kolanga
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Transforming the Heartland: From Deficit to Granary
- Established APICOL (Agricultural Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited) to provide technical guidance and financial support for agro-enterprises
- Established OMFED (1982) to strengthen the dairy sector
- Transformed Odisha from a food-deficit state to a surplus one - groundnut productivity became the highest in the country, rice production increased significantly, and cash crops like cotton (in Kalahandi) and sugarcane were promoted
- Increased the state's irrigated land from 19% to 33%
- Completed the Upper Indravati Project for Kalahandi (irrigating over 1.25 lakh hectares) by securing alternative funding from Japan (OECF) and the Power Finance Corporation when the World Bank withdrew
- Replaced 100-year-old British-era weirs with modern barrages at Mahanadi (Jobra) and Birupa, introduced 'Creek Irrigation' technology for coastal areas, and drastically increased Lift Irrigation points
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Achieving Surplus: Capacity Explosion
- Increased generation capacity six-fold from 373 MW, making Odisha a power-surplus state by 2000
- Established the Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC) and commissioned the Ib Valley Thermal Power Plant
- Implemented comprehensive power sector reforms (Orissa Electricity Reform Act, 1995), unbundling the State Electricity Board and establishing the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC)
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Building Odisha as a Premier Tourist Destination
- By declaring hotels as an industry, offered incentives that led to a boom in hotel construction and attracted major chains like The Oberoi
- Aggressively developed and marketed the Puri-Konark-Bhubaneswar 'Golden Triangle' as a major international tourist destination
- Improved air and rail connectivity (Neelachal Express) explicitly to support tourist inflow
Explore More About JBP's Legacy
Discover the life, journey, and literary works of Janaki Ballav Patnaik - the visionary leader who shaped modern Odisha.