Odisha To Set Up Textile Mills In Cotton Belt, Announces CM Mohan Majhi

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will set up textile mills in the State’s cotton-producing districts, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Sunday. The CM’s announcement signals a policy push to retain value addition and jobs within the state’s agrarian hinterland.

Speaking during a visit to Sonepur, Majhi said western Odisha—particularly districts such as Bolangir, Kalahandi and Sonepur—would be prioritised for textile-led industrialisation, addressing a long-pending demand of cotton farmers and local industry.

Despite producing lakhs of quintals of cotton annually, Odisha lacks adequate processing capacity, forcing farmers to send raw cotton to other states for ginning and manufacturing. This has resulted in lower returns and limited local employment.

Textiles have been identified as one of the state’s 16 priority sectors, the Chief Minister said, adding that industrialisation would be expanded across all 30 districts. “Roadshows have been conducted and investors have shown interest. Textile mills will be set up in cotton-producing regions through a transparent process,” he said.

The move is part of the government’s ‘Field to Fashion’ initiative, aimed at integrating cotton cultivation with garment manufacturing within the state. Officials said the plan is expected to generate large-scale employment, curb migration from western Odisha and strengthen farmer incomes.

Currently, thousands of tonnes of cotton from Odisha are exported to other states and overseas markets, including Bangladesh. The proposed mills are expected to anchor a local textile value chain and give a significant boost to the State’s industrial landscape.