Battered over complications in establishment of minerals-based projects, the Odisha Government on Sunday called upon investors from around the world to invest in the non-mineral sectors in the State.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while inaugurating an Odisha Investors’ Meet during the Make in India Week in Mumbai focused on establishments of projects in the non-mineral sectors. He too made a successful attempt in wooing some national and international companies to take interest in establishment of food processing, chemicals and electronic units.
Patnaik met Ambassadors of various countries and industry captains and briefed them about the business potentials and conducive industrial atmosphere in the State.
He met the Ambassadors of South Korea and Japan and investors from China, Japan, South Korea and Italy.
During the discussions, Japan evinced interest to collaborate in the areas of sanitation, information technology and clean energy. Besides, it expressed willingness to provide support in developing Bhubaneswar as a Smart City. The Siemens and the Tata Group also proposed to develop the State capital as a Smart City.
A business delegation from China committed to set up industrial parks in Odisha. The delegation would visit Bhubaneswar on Monday to explore potential locations, sources said. The high-level business delegation too invited the Chief Minister to China.
Delegates of German car manufacturer Volkswagen also expressed interest to
invest in Odisha. The Wolfsburg carmaker would visit Odisha to explore opportunity for investment.
Besides, the Sammina Inc, a US-based electronics company, expressed its willingness for setting up of a Rs 1,000-crore electronics unit in the State. Among domestic consumers, the Ruchi Soya gave its nod to set up two new food
processing facilities at an investment of Rs 250 crore. Similarly, the ITC and the Nestle also announced to set up its food processing business in the State.
A delegation of the Celanese, a Fortune 500 company, met Patnaik and discussed setting up of an ethanol plant at Paradip. The infrastructure major GMR committed to expand operations in the State with an additional investment of Rs 1,800 crore.
The Indonesian major also plans to set up a solar panel manufacturing facility at Bhubaneswar with an investment of Rs 5, 000 crore.
The Chief Minister unveiled the Odisha Industrial Development Plan: Vision 2025 on the occasion.
In his speech, Patnaik said the Odisha Industrial Policy 2015 ensures all supports to investors for establishment of projects in five focus sectors in a time-bound manner. The State targets to attract Rs 2.5 lakh crore in industrial sector and to generate about 10 lakh jobs for youths by 2020, he said.
The State Government has decided to promote industries in the non-mineral sectors after the Arcellor Mittal has already withdrawn its mega project proposal and the fate of the Posco steel project has turned gloomy. The Vedanta Refinery has stopped its operation as the Government failed to provide bauxite to the company.