Bhubaneswar, Feb 4 (IANS): Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal on Monday said the economy of the state is on a path of steady growth.

The last session of the 15th legislative Assembly began on Monday with the address of the Governor.

"Odisha's economy is on the path of steady growth. The state has been consistently growing at a higher rate than the national average. From subsistence to sustenance and from sustenance to surplus, our pace of transformation has been exceptional and our growth has been inclusive," said Ganeshi Lal.

He said the state has distinctly positioned itself as a progressive state setting national and even global benchmarks.

"My government is untiringly striving to eradicate poverty, accelerate the pace of economic growth, reduce regional disparity and gender differences through various socio-economic measures and pro-people initiatives," said the Governor.

He said Odisha's transformational journey since 2000 has been remarkable.

The state is now recognised for having set global benchmarks in disaster management, he added.

"Now, we are an agriculturally progressive state which has won Krishi Karman Award five times during the last seven years. In fact, Odisha is the only state in the country which has doubled farmers' income in real terms in the last one decade," he informed.

Speaking about foodgrain production, he said, "Now the state is among the largest contributors to the Public Distribution System (PDS) and is playing a major role in the food security of the nation."

Lal said Odisha has made a quantum jump by achieving the sharpest decline in infant mortality rate (IMR) and better than the national average decline in maternal mortality rate (MMR).

It is now the leading state in the country in rural housing, having built a record 20 lakh houses since 2014, he added.