Odisha govt to set up Rs 400 crore semiconductor centre of excellence at IIIT Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar: Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday announced that the state government will set up a centre of excellence at IIIT Bhubaneswar to support the growth of the semiconductor sector, with an investment of Rs 400 crore.
The chief minister made the announcement while speaking at the valedictory session of Indocrypt 2025, India’s international conference on cryptography and information security, hosted by IIIT Bhubaneswar. He said the state is focused on strengthening cyber security, digital governance and advanced technology research.
According to Majhi, the proposed centre of excellence in semiconductor materials and devices will help promote skill development, research, innovation and collaboration with industry, in line with India’s National Semiconductor Mission.
He said it was a matter of pride that Indocrypt was being held in Odisha for the first time, adding that the event reflects the growing academic and research standing of IIIT Bhubaneswar.
The CM also outlined the state government’s long-term plans for the institute. He announced that a modern student activity centre and a central auditorium will be built, and research laboratories across key disciplines will be expanded. A sports complex will also be developed to encourage a healthy campus environment.
Majhi further said the government plans to set up a centre for e-governance and digital capacity building at IIIT Bhubaneswar. The centre will focus on areas such as cyber security, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, renewable energy micro-grids and advanced wireless communication, with an emphasis on governance and public service delivery.
He added that the institute is expected to grow into a major centre for education, research and innovation. Odisha IT Minister Mukesh Mahaling also spoke at the event and highlighted the role of cyber security in socio-economic development.
(with inputs from agencies)
