Odisha CM Mohan Majhi Hails Budget Push to Operationalise National Waterway-5

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Sunday welcomed the Union Budget 2026–27, praising the Centre’s renewed thrust on inland waterways, particularly the move to operationalise National Waterway-5 (NW-5), which he said could be a game changer for the State’s logistics and industrial landscape.

Thanking the Union government, Mr Majhi said the announcement underscored a clear commitment to promoting environmentally sustainable and cost-effective cargo transportation. He noted that the development of NW-5 would significantly improve logistics efficiency in Odisha by easing pressure on road and rail networks, while also helping reduce carbon emissions and overall transportation costs.

National Waterway-5 has been envisioned as a critical infrastructure corridor linking the mineral-rich Talcher and Angul regions  major hubs for coal and other natural resources with key industrial centres such as Kalinga Nagar. The waterway is expected to facilitate smoother movement of raw materials and finished goods, while also providing seamless connectivity to the ports of Paradip and Dhamra. This, the Chief Minister said, would further strengthen Odisha’s position as a major industrial and maritime gateway in eastern India.

Mr Majhi also underlined the project’s potential to act as a catalyst for industrial growth, attract fresh investments and generate employment across sectors. Improved inland water transport, he added, could spur skill development and support a range of ancillary industries linked to logistics, shipping and port-led development.

Echoing the Chief Minister’s views, the Chief Minister’s Office said in a post on X that Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget 2026–27, announced key measures to promote environmentally sustainable cargo movement, including the operationalisation of National Waterway-5 in Odisha. The initiative, the CMO said, would not only enhance logistics efficiency but also accelerate industrial growth across the state.