Odisha Cabinet Approves Multiple Proposals to Expand Infrastructure, Simplify Regulatory Process

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Bhubaneswar, May 21 (APAC Media): The Odisha Cabinet has approved 10 key proposals across multiple departments during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

These include Law, Energy, Fisheries, and Animal Resources Development.

Major decisions include

Approval for enactment of the Odisha Marine Fishing (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 2026 (OMFRA, 2026). This will replace the existing Odisha Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982. The proposed legislation aims to create a modern and inclusive legal framework for the state’s marine fisheries sector. The state government expects that the bill will strengthen the marine fisheries sector and help achieve the target of Rs 25,000 crore in seafood exports by 2036 under the “Viksit Odisha Vision 2036-47” and the state’s Blue Economy initiatives.
Approval of an Rs. 854-crore power infrastructure project. Under the proposal, Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) will establish a 400 KV grid station along with associated transmission lines to strengthen the state’s electricity network and improve power transmission capacity.
Cabinet also relaxed rules for obtaining petrol pump licences. Now retail sale licences will no longer be mandatory for petrol pumps. A ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) issued by the district collector will be sufficient for approval.
Approval of a proposal from the Law Department to repeal 358 acts enacted between 1974 and 2025 that have become redundant or obsolete. According to the officials, many of these laws were amendment acts that ceased to have independent relevance once their provisions were incorporated into principal legislation. Based on the recommendations of the Odisha State Law Commission, the Cabinet approved steps for the enactment of the Odisha Repealing Bill, 2026, to formally repeal the 358 Acts.
In the energy sector, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Odisha Thermal Power Policy, 2008, reducing the mandatory power allocation by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to the state government from 12-14 per cent to 5 per cent. The move aligns with recommendations of the Government of India and practices followed in states such as Chhattisgarh.