A State Consultation Workshop on ‘Creating Enabling Ecosystem for Services in Tier 2 and 3 Cities’ held at Bhubaneswar

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• The workshop focused on the initiatives of various States in areas of skilling,

infrastructure development, Ease of Doing Business, and policy and regulatory reforms to foster a robust services ecosystem.

• This consultation workshop is part of a series of high-level discussions being organized in the run-up to the 4th National Chief Secretaries’ Conference scheduled later this year.

Bhubaneswar, 31st August 2024( Odisha Samachar/Rajat Mohapatra)-:The Government of Odisha has hosted a State Consultation Workshop on ‘Creating EnablingEcosystem for Services in Tier 2 and 3 Cities’ at Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar, held at today. The workshop saw participation from Shri Manoj Ahuja, Chief Secretary, Government of Odisha; Shri S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India; Smt. Anu Garg, Development Commissioner-cum-ACS, Government of Odisha; Shri Vishal Dev, Principal Secretary, Electronics and Information Technology Department, Government of Odisha; and senior government officials from 24 States and Union Territories across India. The workshop focused on the initiatives various States have undertaken in areas of skilling, infrastructure development, Ease of Doing Business, and policy and regulatory reforms to foster a robust services ecosystem in their states. Participants also shared their perspectives on new initiatives that can be implemented to further strengthen the Services ecosystem in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across sectors such as IT, semiconductors, tourism, BFSI, civil aviation,

logistics, and others. Shri Manoj Ahuja, Chief Secretary, Government of Odisha, emphasized the importance of these discussions in bridging the gap between Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, highlighting Odisha’s commitment to fostering geographically distributed service-led growth. He underscored the

State’s proactive approach in creating robust infrastructure, streamlining regulatory processes, and enhancing skill development initiatives tailored to the unique needs of smaller cities. Speaking on the occasion, Shri S Krishnan highlighted that the event provides a platform for States to voice industry concerns to the Government of India and outline the reforms that State governments expect the central government to undertake. He emphasized the critical role of collaboration between State and central entities in building a conducive environment for Services growth. He also thanked the Government of Odisha for volunteering to host the workshop.

Smt. Anu Garg, Development Commissioner-cum-ACS, Government of Odisha, called for a collective approach to address challenges such as talent acquisition, technological integration, and market access, which are essential for unlocking the potential of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Shri Vishal Dev made a detailed presentation on the measures Odisha has taken to create a supportive ecosystem for services within the State. He outlined key policy actions and infrastructure and capacity building developments that have enabled Odisha to build its Services sector and recommended steps that can further accelerate this evolution. This consultation workshop is part of a series of high-level discussions being organized in the run-up to the 4th National Chief Secretaries’ Conference scheduled later this year. The conference will focus on the theme “Promoting Entrepreneurship, Employment, and Skilling – Leveraging the Demographic Dividend.” One of the key pillars under this theme is “Creating an Enabling Ecosystem for Services Innovation, Growth, and Capacity Building.” The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has been designated as the nodal ministry for this pillar and is coordinating virtual and in-person sessions with stakeholders to gather inputs and build consensus on the strategic direction and policy measures required to foster a dynamic Services sector across India.

Government of Odisha will continue to engage with MeitY, other States/UTs, and different stakeholders through various platforms, ensuring that the momentum generated by this workshop translates into actionable strategies that enhance the competitiveness of India’s services sector, particularly in the emerging hubs of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.