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

Bhubaneswar: A National Level State Consultation Workshop on ‘Creating Enabling Ecosystem for Services in Tier 2 and 3 Cities’ was held today at Hotel Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar.

The Workshop was hosted by the Electronics and IT Dept., Govt. of Odisha in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Govt. of India. Senior Government Officials from 24 States and Union Territories across India as well as from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), STPI and the Govt. of Odisha participated in the above workshop.

Chief Secretary Odisha Manoj Ahuja, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan, Development Commissioner Odisha Anu Garg, Pr. Secretary Electronics and IT Dept. Vishal Dev, Director General STPI Arvind Kumar, Principal Secretaries across various Departments of Govt. of Odisha and other senior functionaries from the Govt. of Odisha, MeitY and STPI were present on the occasion.

The national-level workshop focused on the initiatives undertaken by various states in the areas of Skilling, Infrastructure Development, Ease of Doing Business, and Policy and Regulatory Reforms to foster a robust services ecosystem. The participating delegates 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 other associated segments.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Secretary Odisha Manoj Ahuja said, “The discussions held in this National Level Consultation Workshop will pave the way for bridging the gap between Tier 1 and Tier 2/3 cities. Odisha is committed to fostering equitably distributed service-led growth, with a proactive approach in creating robust infrastructure, streamlining regulatory processes, and enhancing skill development initiatives tailored to the unique needs of smaller cities.”

Addressing the members from various states attending the Workshop, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan said, “The Consultation Workshop on Creating Enabling Ecosystem for Services in Tier 2 and 3 Cities has provided a platform for states to voice industry concerns to the Govt. of India and outline the reforms that state governments expect the central government to undertake. The critical role of collaboration between state and central entities in building a conducive environment for Services growth has been the highlight of this workshop. I thank the Govt. of Odisha for volunteering to host this workshop as well as the participants across States and Union Territories of Odisha for their active participation towards making the national level consultation workshop a success.”

In her address to the delegates, Development Commissioner Odisha Anu Garg said, “A collective approach to address challenges such as talent acquisition, technological integration, and market access is essential for unlocking the potential of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. With such Workshops being organised across the country, the Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities will soon match the expected levels of creating enabling ecosystem.”

Principal Secretary, Electronics and IT Dept., Govt. of Odisha Vishal Dev delivered a detailed presentation on the measures taken by the state of Odisha to create a supportive ecosystem for services within the state. He outlined key policy actions and infrastructure & capacity building developments that have helped Odisha in strengthening theservices 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 4th National Chief Secretaries’ 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 organising 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.

The 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.