Bhubaneswar, Aug 22 (IANS) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday launched ‘BharatNetra initiative’, an Integrated Global Financial Technology Capability Hub, in Bhubaneswar.

Terming it a transformative initiative that will shape the future of finance in Odisha, the CM said it will strengthen India’s global leadership in the digital economy.

Odisha will play a central role in making India a global economic leader. This hub has been launched by the Odisha government in collaboration with Global Finance & Technology Network Singapore (GFTN), National University of Singapore and Asian Institute of Digital Finance.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Majhi said that the initiative will skill over 7,000 students across all 30 districts of Odisha. It will run certification programmes designed by the Asian Institute of Digital Finance at the National University of Singapore.

The CM said that this outcome was forged during the historic visit of the Hon’ble President of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, to Odisha in January this year. The CM said the state will nurture startups and entrepreneurs by establishing a dedicated Centre of Excellence within this Hub.

In addition, the project will also establish a Global Capability Centre (GCC), he informed. The GCC here will act as a strong foundation for attracting global financial institutions and new investments into Odisha, he added.

Speaking on the state’s efforts to improve digital infrastructure, he said that a ‘cable landing station connecting Bhubaneswar to Singapore’ is being established.

Saying that Odisha is the first state to formulate an AI Policy, he said, “We are now in the process of launching a dedicated FinTech Policy and GCC Policy to attract global investments.”

The CM said this initiative is in line with the vision of the Prime Minister, who has envisioned skilling of 3 crore youth of the country with an investment of Rs 1 lakh crore during his Independence Day speech this year.

He said that Odisha is producing about 1.8 lakh graduates annually in various engineering, polytechnics, and IT streams, and skilled youths in 950 ITIs.

Emphasising the importance of Research, the CM said that in addition to skilling, Odisha has established a Deep Neural Network Laboratory and other Centres of Excellence. Our vision is to make Odisha the “Research Capital of the East”, the CM underlined.

On the occasion, the CM launched the BharatNetra Hackathon Website and a GCC + overall programme was also announced. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that Odisha’s vision aligns with India’s national priority to skill our youth for the global digital economy.

The BharatNetra initiative will not only open pathways for employment and entrepreneurship but also strengthen India’s leadership in financial inclusion and innovation, he added. It may be mentioned here that the I-GFTCH in Odisha will focus on four pillars- Global Learning, Global Mindshare, Global Innovation, and Global Capability Hub – developed in partnership with Singapore-based GFTN.

Over the next five years, this initiative will equip 7,000 students statewide with vital skills in technology, regulation, and business for careers in financial technology.

The programme has selected its first batch of 375 students from more than 3,800 applicants representing over 60 colleges across all districts of Odisha. The first batch is set to graduate by January 2026.

–IANS

gyan/dan