By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, December 2, 2016 : Make in Odisha ended on Friday with promises by more than 80 companies to invest Rs 2.3 lakh crore in ten identified sectors. Once these investments are on the ground it will generate 1.4 lakh jobs for the state.

While conventional investors like Vedanta, Jindal and Tata Steel promised to invest about
Rs 97,000 crore in mines and mineral sectors, labour intensive sectors like IT and electronics, manufacturing, apparels, biotechnology, tourism, petrochemicals, chemicals and plastics and food processing saw promises of investment to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore.

Overwhelmed by the response of corporate sector, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced to hold the conclave every two years to achieve its Vision 2025 goal of getting investments worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore and generating employment of three million. Patnaik also thanked the investors for reposing faith in state and showing intent to invest.

The CM further announced that the state will have a convention centre and trade zone at Bhubaneswar named after Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das as a tribute to his contribution towards industrialisation of Odisha. The state government proposed to invest Rs 307 crore for building the convention centre and trade zone with a seating capacity of 4,000 people.

Union minister for coal and renewable energy, Piyush Goyal said Odisha should become a manufacturing State and take advantage of the proposed GST.

Union petroleum and natural gas minister Dhamendra Pradhan said that a biogas plant will be set up in Bargarh with a budget of Rs 900 crores. Besides, aluminium major Nalco will set up world class Aluminum Park at Angul and a Plastic Park in collaboration with Indian Oil at Paradip, he said.

“In the next couple of years, we will have to ensure jobs for 1.25 crore of Odia youths. Centre is ready to provide all support to Odisha. The State needs to reclaim its old glory,” he said.

Chief secretary Aditya Padhi said Odisha in last two days received proposals of a food processing plant by Adani Wilmar, a Rs 10,000-crore project from Essel Packaging and from Max Venture in petroleum & chemicals sectors. In tourism and hospitality sector, Nataraj Hotels, Haldirams and Emerald Group of Hotels of Dubai have evinced. Carnival Films has proposed to establish one multiplex at each of the district headquarters. A Film City that will house a film institute has also been proposed in the state.

Two foreign investments including rice processing in Kalahandi and turmeric processing in Kandhamal district by Italy’s Indo European Sustainable Development was received. The company will spend Rs 250 crore. A garment manufacturing unit from Bangladesh will set up near Bhubaneswar that would employ about 4,000 people.

Apart from metals and minerals sector, infrastructure was the second highest favourite with proposals worth Rs 38,443 crore followed by power & renewable energy at Rs 29,932 crore. Fertilisers, chemicals & petrochemicals and plastics saw investment proposals worth Rs 27,023 crore.

Odisha industries secretary Sanjeev Chopra said 70% of the proposals are in greenfield nature. “We are not taking the MoU route with these companies. What matters is how much of investment is grounded. If industries are non-pollutant then we would give them state-specific clearances in less than 15 days. As for land they can get land from our land bank,” he said.

The event witnessed registration of more than 4,400 delegates from across the country and abroad. Government held 220 meetings with investor community across diversified sectors in various states. Furthermore, the conclave facilitated more than 600 business meetings.

The largest ever expo of the state housed more than 250 stalls spread over an area of 30,000 square feet.

As part of the conclave, the largest ever Startup expo was also organised by YI, the youth wing of the CII, which saw participation from more than 120 startups, which benefited from the experience of successful budding entrepreneur, officials said.