Ambassadors of over 30 countries attend ‘Make in Odisha’ conclave in Delhi

The third edition of ‘Make in Odisha Conclave’ will be held in Bhubaneswar between November 30 and December 4, 2022. On 31st August Odisha government hosted a curtain-raiser here on Wednesday for the Make in Odisha conclave and Investors’ Meet.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik attended the meeting and interacted with ambassadors and envoys ,from over 30 countries and over 50 delegates, representing various industries from across India. The state Industries Minister Pratap Keshari Deb, Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, Chief Secretary, Odisha along with his senior officials also attended the meeting.

Addressing the dignitaries, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “Odisha is one of the fastest growing economies in India and has consistently grown above the national average in the last decade-and-a-half. We are fast emerging as a major industrial destination in eastern India because of our natural resource advantage and strategic location. Over the last 20 years, my government has focused on leveraging these natural advantages through progressive policy, efficient administration, and technological interventions.”

“Today, Odisha is the largest producer of steel, stainless steel, and aluminium in India. We are emerging as a leader in sectors like chemicals and petrochemicals, textiles and apparel, IT and ITeS, Food Processing and others,” he said while adding, “We are also attracting investments in new age sectors like green hydrogen and green ammonia, data centers, EV and EV component manufacturing to name a few.”

Chief Secretary Odisha Suresh Chandra Mahapatra shed light on how the state has been one of the major breakout states in the country in terms of development, registering impressive GSDP growth rates year-after-year and industrializing at break-neck speed.

The ‘Make in Odisha’, will focus on sectors including metals and metal downstream, chemicals and petrochemicals, textiles and apparel including technical textiles, food processing including seafood processing, electronics system design and manufacturing, logistics and clean energy. State industries secretary Hemant Sharma said .

Industry minister Pratap Deb said Odisha has grown at 10.1%, making it one of the fastest growing economies in India. Manufacturing sector with 56% share in Industrial GSVA grew at 14.3% in 2021-22 while the mining sector with 21% share registered 18.1% growth. “Odisha has become a destination of choice for industries in the metal and allied sectors owing to its natural resources and ecosystem advantage. The government has taken measures to broadbase the industrial ecosystem in the state, with focus on sectors like chemicals and petrochemicals, textiles and apparel among others,” said Deb.

Despite the Covid-19 crisis, Odisha emerged as a leading investment destination and attracted investment proposals with over ₹4.4 lakh crore during the last three years. While the first edition of the Make in Odisha conclave in 2016 got 124 investment intents worth more than ₹2 lakh crore, the second conclave in 2018 saw investment proposals worth ₹4.19 lakh crore for projects across 15 sectors. In 2020, the event could not be held due to Covid-19.

The State Minister of Industries, MSME & Energy Pratap Keshari Deb stressed that Odisha has always been known for its magnificent handloom industry. “We are now firmly focusing on technical textiles as well. We are setting up a technical textiles park in Bhadrak anchored again by IOCL’s 300 KTPA Polyester and Fiber plant. Similar to the chemicals and petrochemicals sector, and the textiles sector, we have also developed robust ecosystems for sectors like Food Processing, IT/ITeS, ESDM,” stated minister Deb.