Orissa is an Eastern State with its capital at Bhubaneshwar. Its coast is on the Bay of Bengal with Puri the Holy city for Hindus and also a tourist resort. It is one of the poorer states with comparatively slow growth rate, unemployment and low literacy rate. Much of the population are tribal called the Adivasis, but today many professionals and learned people come from this state. The construction of dams displaced much of these tribal communities. The state is however plagued with cyclones, floods and droughts.

The previous earnings from forest produce, especially timber is no longer available due to a ban on felling. The State Government at present is trying to make much effort to attract industry by giving incentives such as tax breaks.