BHUBANESWAR: Odisha is set to roll out a grand welcome to investors from across the country as Make in Odisha Conclave, billed as the biggest investor meet held by the State, kicks off on Wednesday. With top industry honchos making their presence felt, the three-day mega event is expected to translate the Naveen Patnaik Government’s dream of making the State a manufacturing hub of eastern India.
Over 100 companies have already confirmed their participation in the business investors’ meet which is being hosted over a massive 30,000 sq mt area at Janata Maidan in the City. It would be formally unveiled by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday while Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Arun Jaitley will attend the plenary session on Thursday.
With over 1000 delegates from corporates slated to attend the meet, Make in Odisha will see the who’s who of the Indian Inc.
Aditya Birla Group’s Kumar Mangalam Birla, Larsen & Toubro Ltd’s AM Naik, Chairman of State Bank of India Arundhati Bhattacharya, Gautam Adani of Adani Group, T Krishnakumar of Hindustan Coca Cola Ltd, Sanjiv Puri of ITC Ltd, Sajjan Jindal of JSW Group and Venugopal Dhoot of Videocon will take part in the event even as Odisha Government looks to sell itself as a mineral hub with the wherewithal to transform into a manufacturing might of eastern India.
Ahead of the conclave, Industry Minister Debi Prasad Mishra told mediapersons that the meet will showcase the policy and regulatory environment, investment opportunities across focus sectors and manufacturing prowess of the State.
Odisha is attempting to tap investment opportunities across key focus sectors such as downstream and ancillary in metal, food processing including seafood, chemicals, petrochemicals and plastics, textiles and apparel, defence, electronics, start-ups and tourism. The Government also rolled out a slew of new policies in MSME, food processing, renewable energy, handloom, apparel, tourism, pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors to lure serious investors to the State.
As part of the preparations which are in the final stages, eminent sand sculptor Sudarsan Pattnaik has displayed a unique art on sand at the Biju Patnaik International Airport, while streets of Bhubaneswar are adorned with over 30 trivia brandings on the State, from the airport to Janata Maidan.
Make in Odisha is being organised by the Government of Odisha in association with Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).