Odisha aims to leverage its ports as part of a push to develop the State as a manufacturing hub in eastern India that could serve the larger South Asian regional market, according to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
“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,” he said on Thursday, after inaugurating two manufacturing plants and laying the foundation stones for 13 units entailing a total investment of ₹2,901.20 crore.
“Our emphasis is to drive port-led manufacturing, anchored by the three deep-water ports in the state along the east coast economic corridor,” Mr. Patnaik said.
The State’s focus is on ensuring state-of-the-art infrastructure and progressive policies to provide a conducive environment for industrial development, according to the Chief Minister.
‘New impetus to ties’
Mr. Patnaik said Japan would be the country-partner for the second edition of ‘Make in Odisha’ investors meet to be held in November.
“This would provide a new impetus to the relations between Odisha and Japan and open up varied sectors for collaboration,” he said.
The units inaugurated on Thursday included a caustic soda facility set up by Grasim Industries at a cost of ₹110 crore in Ganjam District and Jyoti Solar Solutions solar power plant in Bolangir District.
OCL India, the flagship company of the Dalmia Group, is investing ₹2,000 crore followed by Hindustan Urban Infrastructure Ltd. with ₹389 crore, IFFCO ₹63.55 crore and Jaipur Cement with ₹63.5 crore.
( The writer was in Bhubaneswar at the invitation of the Government of Odisha )
Published - August 23, 2018 09:45 pm IST