Odisha Partners with NCCR to Launch Marine Spatial Plan
Bhubaneswar, April 16: Odisha has taken a major step toward sustainable ocean management by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences to implement a Marine Spatial Plan (MSP).
The agreement was formalised at Lok Seva Bhavan in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
The MoU was signed by Smt. Pooja Mishra, Additional Secretary of the Science & Technology Department, and Dr. R.S. Kankara, Director of NCCR.
The MSP aims to boost Odisha’s blue economy while ensuring marine biodiversity protection through integrated coastal and marine planning
Odisha becomes the first state in the second phase of India’s sustainable ocean planning initiative, following Puducherry and Lakshadweep.
This initiative complements the state’s Marine Biotechnology Research and Innovation Corridor (OMBRIC) launched last year, aligning with Odisha’s Vision 2036 and India’s Vision 2047.
Senior officials, including Science & Technology Minister Krushna Chandra Patra and Chief Secretary Anu Garg, highlighted the importance of MSP for climate resilience and marine resource utilisation.
The event also saw support from Norwegian Deputy Ambassador Arvin Gadgil, reaffirming Norway’s cooperation in India’s ocean planning journey.
