By Our Correspondent
RAIPUR /BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government Saturday successfully organised Odisha Investors’ Meet at Raipur in Chhattisgarh in association with CII, with a focus on attracting investments in varied industry sectors.
The event was graced by dignitaries, including Pratap Keshari Deb, Minister Energy, MSME & Industries, PK Jena, Chief Secretary of Odisha, Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary of the Industries Department and Chairman of IDCO and IPICOL.
The road show aimed at showcasing the immense potential of Biju Economic Corridor along the Biju Expressway and favorable business environment offered by Odisha in these sectors, encouraging investors to explore opportunities in the state. The road show witnessed active participation from over 200 delegates representing various industries in Chhattisgarh.
Odisha Industry, MSME and Energy Minister Pratap Deb commenced the road show by extending a warm welcome to all attendees. He emphasized the state government’s commitment to apprise the audience about the Odisha’s industrial landscape in the Metal Ancillaries and Food Processing sectors.
He highlighted Odisha’s remarkable progress and development, showcasing impressive growth rates in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and its rapid industrialization.
Under the able leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Odisha today is at the brink of the ‘Industrial Revolution Next’ in the manufacturing sector, stated the minister.
Addressing the esteemed gathering, the Chief Secretary emphasized upon Odisha’s status as one of the fastest-growing economies in India. He highlighted the state’s consistent growth above the national average, driven by abundant natural resources and its strategic location catering to the ASEAN region.
The Chief Secretary also emphasized the State’s skilled and productive human resources, progressive policies, and result-oriented governance, creating a unique ecosystem for investors to establish their industrial units in Odisha.
He welcomed industry captains, associations, and their members present at the event to explore Odisha as their next investment destination.
The Industry department secretary delivered a comprehensive presentation on the robust industrial ecosystem in Odisha. He emphasized upon the state’s conducive business environment, built on two decades of stable governance, high rankings in the Ease of Doing Business index, competitive cost of operations, effective investment facilitation, attractive incentives, and a skilled workforce.
Sharma also shed light on the industrial parks and regions developed by the state government to provide exceptional facilitation to investors across sectors.
He further highlighted the growing markets in Eastern and North-Eastern parts of India, which present lucrative opportunities for businesses establishing their presence in Odisha.
Speaking about Odisha’s industrial readiness, Sharma stated, “Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Odisha is emerging as the Industrial Hub of the East and a gateway to the East and Southeast Asian Markets.”
Furthermore, representatives from leading companies such as Vedanta, JSPL shared their positive experiences of investing and operating in Odisha. They praised the state’s industrial infrastructure, streamlined processes through the single-window system, and the unwavering support received from the government of Odisha.
Expressing their excitement, they affirmed their commitment to contributing to the state’s economic growth and fostering enduring partnerships with local communities.
The session concluded with Bhupendra Singh Poonia, MD IDCO & IPICOL, expressing heartfelt gratitude to all the investors for their participation in the Raipur road show.
He urged the investors to consider Odisha as their preferred investment destination. In addition to the road show, a delegation from Odisha government held fruitful discussions with over 50 industry leaders from various sectors to understand their investment plans.
The Chief Secretary highlighted the significant pro-business reforms undertaken by the government and encouraged the industrialists to explore the potential opportunities in Odisha for their businesses.
