Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced that Japan would be the country partner for the Make in Odisha Conclave, 2018.

The conclave's second edition will be held from November 11 to 15 in Bhubaneswar. The first edition of the event was held in 2016.

Conducting the groundbreaking and inauguration ceremony of 15 projects through videoconferencing at the state secretariat here on Thursday, Naveen said: "This will provide a new impetus to the relations between Odisha and Japan and open up varied sectors for collaboration."

"A delegation, led by the state's industry minister, will visit Japan to invite entrepreneurs to be part of the mega business industrial show. As Japan has agreed to be the partner of the show, it will facilitate bringing more investments to Odisha. The relation will not be confined to trade only, as focus will also be on strengthening the cultural tie-up," said a senior government official.

As a part of its exercise to promote Odisha as an industrialised state, Naveen said: "Odisha is fast emerging as the manufacturing hub of eastern India, and we are working towards developing the state into a manufacturing hub of south Asia. We have developed the state-of-the-art infrastructure to provide a conducive environment for industrial development."

The companies, for which the groundbreaking ceremony was held, attracted Rs 2,901 crore of investments and provided employment opportunities to 3,091 people. The ceremony was held for companies that would manufacture cement, caustic soda, PP woven bag and paper and packaging products. These projects also include software development and data processing units.

Ahead of the event, the state government is leaving no stone unturned to project Odisha as an industry-friendly state. This time Odisha is organising the event without the support of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). It has instead roped in Ficci to make the conclave a success.

Naveen met industrialists, including Reliance Industries chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani and Godrej Group chairman Adi Godrej, in Mumbai on August 8 and invited them to be a part of the conclave.

To bring investments to Odisha, the state is now focusing on port-led manufacturing anchored by the three deep-water ports along the east coast economic corridor.

Talking about the success of the conclave's first edition, Naveen said: "The first edition of the our flagship investor's meet, Make in Odisha Conclave, held in 2016, was an overwhelming success, with announcement of more than Rs 2 lakh crore of investment intents received, close to 65 per cent projects are in various stages of approval and implementation."

Industries secretary Sanjeev Chopra said: "The chief minister graced the inauguration of two units and did groundbreaking of 13 industrial units. Thusday's ceremony is in continuation of the efforts that we have been making since the Make in Odisha Conclave, 2016, to ensure that the projects that given their investment intent during the conclave in 2016 are converted into projects on the ground."