Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, July 8, 2015 : Concerned over sharp decline in investment in the state, Odisha government is all likely to take help of the industry body Confederation of Indian Industry [CII] to prepare a road map for ease of doing business in the State.

A CII delegation comprising chairman, CII (eastern region) A K Verma, chairman of Odisha chaspter, D S Ravindra Raj and Regional director, CII (East) Saugat Mukherjee met Chief Secretary GC Pati on Wednesday to discuss issues for furthering industrial climate in the State.

CII has already roped in the Singapore based Lee Kuan Yew School for Public Policy (LKYSPP), to prepare a model for transforming Odisha into a front-ranking State in terms of ease of doing business and attracting investments.

An expert group from the reputed institution and CII will visit Bhubaneswar on July 13 and hold discussion with the State Government to firm up partnership plans, Verma told media persons.

“As focus area of the CII, we will work with for Public Policy of Singapore on creating a roadmap for ease of doing business in the state. A team from Lee Kuan Yew School is scheduled for a meeting with the state government on July 13. We are looking at signing a tripartite agreement between the state government, CII and the Lee Kuan Yew School for Public Policy in this regard”, AK Verma, told media persons.

CII is in talks with each state in the eastern India to formulate laws and procedures so that things can move fast, he added.

Singapore is Number One in terms of ease of doing business. CII has already signed an MoU with LKYSPP for initiating similar plans in different States by harnessing the expertise and experience of the country and is looking at signing a tripartite agreement with Odisha Government in this regard, Verma told media persons.

The apex body is also urging the State Government to showcase its potential and opportunities on a larger scale to draw international investments. It should host summit like ‘Invest Odisha’ to attract global investors as many other States like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Punjab and Tamil Nadu are doing.

“Odisha with its vast natural and human resources driven by an investor-friendly Government is fast emerging a top-notch State in the industrial map in the country. It is one of the few States that has marked consistently high economic growth over the last 15 years, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.7 per cent. It should capitalise on its advantages to become a global investment destination and the CII will lend it,” Verma asserted.

The union government is working on a report card with assessment of each of the state’s performance in ease of doing business. “As far as we know this is part of the Central government’s efforts to put an evaluation system in place and identify the best performing states. I am sure Odisha will fare well in the report card,” the regional chairman said.

CII will create a forum on industry defence linkage to connect industry with the defence PSUs and ordnance factories and also a forum on industry – railways linkage to highlight the opportunities existing in the railways.

The industry body, which is playing a supportive role in drafting the State Innovation Policy, has mooted a Centre of Excellence on Knowledge Economy. The second such centre in the country will enable the State to position itself as a leading Knowledge Hub, Verma added.