CM sells destination Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday showcased Odisha as one of the fast-emerging manufacturing hubs of eastern India at an investors' meet in New Delhi. He also asked investors to explore the investment opportunities available in the state.

Naveen told the investors about Odisha's developed infrastructure, including how the state has increased its ports' capacity to handle cargo to the tune of 190 million metric tonnes, enhancing power generation and building a solid road network that was essential for the growth of industries.

In the run up to the second edition of the Make in Conclave in November, the investors' meet in New Delhi was the second important meeting Naveen held within a month to woo investors. "In the Make in Odisha Conclave to be held in from November 11 to 15, state plans to showcase the investment potential it offers in diverse sectors and the manufacturing prowess of the state," Naveen said.

The theme of the Make in Odisha conclave is " I am Odisha" that celebrates the success of the state in creating a vibrant eco-system for the growth of industry.

Like he did in Mumbai, in New Delhi also Naveen met industrialists including founder and CEO of Oyo Rooms Ritesh Agarwal and the ambassador of Japan to India Kenji Hiramatsu and invited them to be part of Odisha's growth story. Japan has agreed to be the country partner of the second edition of the Make in Odisha Conclave. Naveen had earlier sent an official delegation led by industries minister Ananta Das to Japan last month and invited industrialists to be a part of Make in Odisha Conclave.

Making it clear that state's natural strength lies in being mineral rich, Naveen said: "Odisha is the aluminium capital of south Asia accounting for over 54 per cent of the country's production. We are also counted as the steel hub of the country contributing about a quarter of India's steel production."

The chief minister also told the industrialists how his government had engaged in laying a road map - Vision2030: Development of Downstream & Ancillary in Metal Sector - with the aim of further vitalising downstream industries of the state.

Aware that other states' are also trying to woo investors, Naveen told the gathering how Odisha had launched a single user-friendly portal 'Invest Odisha' to enable the industry make informed investment decisions by comparing its competitiveness with other states and countries.

"It also engages with the investors through a unique chatbot 'Odishi', which provides customised information to the users," he said inviting them to "come and join the juggernaut".

In the first edition of the Make in Odisha Conclave held in 2016, the state had bagged investment intentions to the tune of Rs 2.03 lakh crore.

Odisha has set a target to implement fresh investments of at least Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the next three years out of the Rs 2.03 crore investment intentions promised in the first edition of the Make in Odisha conclave.

Officials said out of the total investment proposals received at the meet, metals and minerals sector was the top investment grosser with Rs 97,911 crore. Infrastructure followed next with proposals worth Rs 38,443 crore, power & renewable energy (Rs 29,932 crore) and fertilisers, chemicals & petrochemicals and plastics (Rs 27,023 crore).

An official said that Odisha had also bagged sizeable investments - manufacturing (Rs 2,685 crore), tourism (Rs 2,076 crore), food processing (Rs 2,101 crore), IT and electronics system design and manufacturing (Rs 1,500 crore) and textiles and handloom (Rs 172 crore).