Bhubaneswar: The state government will implement a Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) with the aim of maintaining the balance between the coastal economy and the marine environment in the state. For this, an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Department of Science and Technology of the state government and the National Centre for Coastal Research under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.at Lok Sabha Bhawan today.
Pooja Mishra, the Additional Secretary of the Science & Technology Department, and Dr. R.S. Kankara, Director of the National Centre for Coastal Research inked the MoU in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Science and Technology Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, Chief Secretary Anu Garg and other officials.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Majhi said that the implementation of this Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) will not only improve the Blue-Economy of the state but also protect the marine environment. Along with the development of the local coastal economy, marine life will be protected. The Chief Minister said on the occasion that this MSP will create a new benchmark in implementing integrated coastal and marine planning.
It is worth noting that Sustainable Ocean Planning has been started in the country since 2019 in collaboration with the Government of India and the Government of Norway. In the first phase, it has been implemented in Puducherry and Lakshadweep. In the second phase, Odisha is the first state to implement it. Keeping in mind the coastal economy of Odisha and the protection of the marine environment, the Central and State Governments have decided to implement this scheme in Odisha.
In his speech, the Chief Minister said that the coastal and marine areas of Odisha are rich in biodiversity and provide abundant natural resources for the coastal areas. These resources play a crucial role in local livelihoods, economic growth and a balanced environment. However, due to development programs, their impact on the environment and the continuous increase in demand from various sectors, there is a need to manage marine areas scientifically. The Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) is a timely initiative in this regard. It will meet the needs of our various sectors like fisheries, tourism, ports, marine energy etc. and will also help in protecting the marine ecosystem, the Chief Minister said.
The Chief Minister said that in August last year, OMBRIC (Odisha Marine Biotechnology Research and Innovation Corridor) was launched to promote widespread use of biotechnology for the development of the marine environment and local economy. He said that this will strengthen our existing MSP programme. Coastal economy and protection of marine environment are essential to achieve the goals of Prosperous Odisha 2036 and Developed India 2047 in all respects. Therefore, the Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the Norwegian Government for its cooperation in this regard.
Majhi further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been strongly supporting Odisha in every field. Odisha has become the first state to implement the second phase of Sustainable Ocean Planning due to its focus on its development. For this, the Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister and the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Science and Technology, Krushna Chandra Patra, said that the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) of the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences is a leading institution in marine research. This institution has developed important economic models for the protection of marine life, the impact of climate change and the better use of marine resources. He said that the Science and Technology Department of the state government will provide all support for the success of the MSP.
Chief Secretary, Anu Garg said that this MSP is an important mission to make the vision of 2036 and 2047 a reality. He said that our goal is to protect the environment with maximum investment in fisheries, tourism and marine resources.
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