Naveen Patnaik credits BJD for Odisha's 5th rank in NITI Aayog IFI Report
Synopsis
Naveen Patnaik is not conceding the narrative. Days after Odisha ranked fifth in NITI Aayog's Investment Friendliness Index, the BJD chief publicly reclaimed the achievement as his party's legacy — and issued a stark warning that the BJP's fiscal approach risks reversing 25 years of hard-won gains.
Key Takeaways
Naveen Patnaik on 23 July credited BJD-era reforms for Odisha's 5th rank in NITI Aayog's Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) for 2023–24 .
Odisha scored 52.4 per cent on the IFI, compared to 56.6 per cent by top-ranked Gujarat .
Patnaik claimed Odisha's interest payments stood at 1.38 per cent of GSDP — reportedly the lowest in the country.
Odisha accounts for nearly half of India's mineral output and about a quarter of national coal production , per Patnaik's statement.
Patnaik warned the current BJP government risks pushing Odisha back toward the fiscal bankruptcy the state faced in 2000 .
Former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Thursday, 23 July claimed credit for Odisha securing the fifth position in NITI Aayog's Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) Report, attributing the ranking to governance reforms under his administration — and sharply accusing the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of appropriating the BJD's achievements as its own.
What the IFI Report Shows
The NITI Aayog's IFI report, based on states' performance during 2023–24, placed Odisha fifth among Indian states in investment attractiveness, with an overall score of 52.4 per cent. By comparison, top-ranked Gujarat scored 56.6 per cent. Patnaik expressed satisfaction at the outcome, stating in a post on his X handle that he was 'glad to share' the news of Odisha's position among the country's top investment destinations.
Patnaik's Claim: From Bankruptcy to Beacon State
'From bankruptcy in 2000 to standing tall among top states in attracting investment across India is immensely satisfactory for me. The turnaround from a laggard state to a beacon state is a story of our sustained reform, fiscal discipline and transformative governance under the principles of #5T which is now being celebrated by the present Odisha BJP Government,' Patnaik said.
The BJD chief highlighted that Odisha's total outstanding liabilities stood at 16 per cent of GSDP, while interest payments were just 1.38 per cent of GSDP — a figure he claimed was the lowest in the country. He said NITI Aayog had specifically praised Odisha for its prudent fiscal management, and that the state had outperformed several 'double-engine governments' on multiple parameters.
Mineral Wealth and Welfare Programmes
Patnaik pointed out that Odisha accounts for nearly half of India's mineral output and close to a quarter of national coal production. He credited sustained policy interventions during his tenure for enabling the state to channel resource revenues into welfare initiatives.
'Our sustained effort, policy interventions and discipline have turned the state into a magnet for investment. It has empowered Odisha to invest in people-centric welfare initiatives. It helped us in pioneering schemes like #BSKY, #KALIA, and #MissionShakti to #SkillDevelopment, #OdishaSchoolTransformation, tribal welfare, #DisasterManagement, infrastructure development, irrigation projects, poverty alleviation and funding our own food security scheme without waiting for handouts from the Centre,' he added.
Warning Over BJP's Fiscal Direction
While acknowledging satisfaction that Odisha's investment ranking had been recognised, Patnaik issued a pointed caution about the current administration's financial management. 'But I am worried that with the way the Odisha double-engine Government is mismanaging finances, it could push the state into the same path of bankruptcy which we inherited 25 years back,' he warned.
The remarks mark a significant escalation in the BJD's opposition posture against the BJP government that swept to power in Odisha in 2024, ending Patnaik's unbroken 24-year run as Chief Minister. As the state heads into a new phase of governance, the battle over who owns Odisha's economic transformation story is set to intensify.
Point of View
Not just a press statement. By publicly reclaiming the IFI ranking, he is contesting the BJP's post-2024 narrative that its 'double-engine government' is the engine of Odisha's growth. The fiscal numbers he cites — 16 per cent outstanding liabilities and 1.38 per cent interest-to-GSDP — are verifiable benchmarks that the BJP will need to defend, not dismiss. The deeper question is whether the BJD, now in opposition after 24 years, can sustain a credibility-based critique when it no longer controls the data flow from state agencies. Patnaik's bankruptcy warning is pointed, but without independent fiscal audits of the current administration, it risks being read as political rhetoric rather than evidence-based accountability.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NITI Aayog's Investment Friendliness Index and where did Odisha rank?
NITI Aayog's Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) ranks Indian states on their ability to attract investment, based on performance data for 2023–24. Odisha secured the fifth position with a score of 52.4 per cent, behind top-ranked Gujarat which scored 56.6 per cent.
Why is Naveen Patnaik claiming credit for Odisha's IFI ranking?
Patnaik argues that the ranking reflects governance reforms, fiscal discipline, and policy interventions carried out during his 24-year tenure as Chief Minister, not the work of the current BJP government. He accuses the BJP of 'chest-thumping' over achievements it did not deliver.
What fiscal figures did Patnaik highlight in his statement?
Patnaik stated that under BJD governance, Odisha's total outstanding liabilities were brought down to 16 per cent of GSDP, and interest payments to 1.38 per cent of GSDP — a figure he claimed was the lowest in the country.
What warning did Patnaik issue about the BJP government?
Patnaik cautioned that the BJP's fiscal mismanagement risks pushing Odisha back toward the same path of bankruptcy the state faced when he took office in 2000, reversing 25 years of economic turnaround.
Which welfare schemes did Patnaik cite as part of his government's legacy?
Patnaik referenced schemes including BSKY (health coverage), KALIA (farmer support), Mission Shakti (women's empowerment), skill development programmes, Odisha School Transformation, tribal welfare, disaster management, and the state's own food security scheme as examples of BJD-era governance.
