Bhubaneswar, May 21: The Odisha Cabinet approved ten significant proposals related to seven departments, including law, energy, and fisheries and animal resource development, during a meeting on Wednesday chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Chara Majhi.
Among the major proposals approved by the Cabinet is the Odisha Marine Fishing (Restriction and Regulation) Bill, 2026 (OMFRA-2026). This new legislation will repeal the existing Odisha Marine Fishing Regulation Act of 1982, establishing a modern and inclusive legal framework for the marine fishing sector.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg stated in a media briefing that marine fishing is a vital part of Odisha’s development journey. The Chief Minister had announced a Deep Sea Fishing Mission and a Shrimp Export Mission in the budget, making the introduction of this new law essential.
The new legislation will emphasize the conservation of marine resources, coastal security, seaweed development, and mariculture, areas that were previously overlooked. The government anticipates that this will significantly boost the state’s marine economy.
The government’s target is to increase marine food exports to ₹25,000 crores by 2036, aligning with the “Developed Odisha Vision 2036-47” and the state’s Blue Economy initiative.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved a proposal from the law department to repeal 358 old and irrelevant laws enacted between 1974 and 2025. According to a government statement, most of these laws were amendment acts, with their provisions already incorporated into the original laws. Some laws were created for specific circumstances and are now obsolete.
Based on recommendations from the Odisha State Law Commission, the state government will introduce the Odisha Repealing Bill-2026 to abolish these 358 laws.
Furthermore, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Odisha Thermal Power Policy-2008. This change will reduce the mandatory power share that Independent Power Producers (IPPs) must provide to the government from 12-14% to 5%. This decision aligns with recommendations from the central government and practices in states like Chhattisgarh.
The Cabinet also granted approval for several other important proposals during Wednesday’s meeting.
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