BHUBANESWAR: Following Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s successful business outreach to the UAE that attracted investment proposals worth over Rs 2.43 lakh crore, a ministerial delegation from the Gulf nation is likely to visit Odisha soon to cement the investment momentum and take forward the implementation of projects across key sectors.
Arriving in Delhi after his three-day visit on Saturday, Majhi said he has invited UAE Minister for Economy and Tourism Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri to visit Odisha as the state looks to speed up the entry and implementation of UAE-backed investment projects.
Majhi said he had held detailed discussions with Al Marri on investment opportunities in Odisha and ways to facilitate the entry of UAE capital into the state. Al Marri, who is also chairman of the UAE International Investors Council and Council for Entrepreneurship, has agreed to visit Odisha along with his team, Majhi said.
Majhi said the discussions covered investment opportunities in tourism, port development, skilled human resources development, green energy and other key projects. The UAE minister’s team had already interacted with Odisha government officials on the proposed projects, paving the way for further engagement.
The CM’s visit to the UAE has resulted in investment proposals worth `2,43,162 crore. “Odisha will certainly translate these engagements into opportunities for trade, progress and employment, with the larger objective of making the state prosperous,” Majhi said.
“The focus would now be on converting the investment interest generated during the UAE visit into concrete projects and employment opportunities. The government is committed to create an enabling environment for investors and facilitating project implementation in the state,” Majhi said.
The UAE campaign, which covered Abu Dhabi and Dubai, included high-level meetings with the UAE’s economic leadership, investors, sovereign investment interests and the business community. The engagements also sought to strengthen partnerships in sectors where Odisha sees potential for large-scale international investment.
Majhi said the investment drive was part of the state’s long-term strategy under Vision 2036, aimed at building a prosperous and developed Odisha. He linked the state’s efforts with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047.
“We have taken a firm resolve to attract investment, create employment and strengthen Odisha’s economy so that the state can emerge as a strong economic force in India,” he said.
Majhi will return to Odisha on Sunday.