BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has added another feather in its hat by securing fifth position in Niti Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index 2020. In the overall ranking, the State has secured a score of 58.23 points in the export preparedness index (EPI), a report of which was released by the Government’s think tank in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Now, Odisha leads in export preparedness leaving behind industrially developed states like Telangana, Haryana, Karnataka, Delhi, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.
The EPI ranked the State on four key parameters. It has been placed second in Export Ecosystem Pillar with a score of 65.94 points, 11th position in Policy Pillar with 71.29 points, Business Ecosystem Pillar with 55.81 points, and Export Performance Pillar with 42.29 points.
The State also topped in exporting items like aluminum ingots worth 1233.87 million USD, followed by Ferro-Chromium Carbon of 670.64 million USD, Alumina Calcined 626 USD, Iron-ore pellets worth 573.07 million USD and shrimps and prawns worth 392.75 million USD.
“Odisha has taken measures to create an enabling environment to attract businesses. For instance, the State has been rated as the most cost-competitive state judged by the criteria of the cost of setting up and running a business,” the report said.
It has been observed that the State has dwelt on ensuring the lowest costs for key parameters - wage rate of skilled labour, industrial power tariff and land costs. This is reflected in its score of 92.08 in Ease of Doing Business, it added.
A release by the State Government said the report is a testimony by the Centre to the good work being undertaken by Odisha in the field of trade, commerce, industry and exports.
The State under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his 5-T mantra is transforming the industrial and entrepreneurial ecosystem, leading to rapid export preparedness in the State, it added.
While six of eight coastal states feature in the top-10 rankings, indicating the presence of strong enabling and facilitating factors to promote exports, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu occupy the top three ranks respectively.
The EPI is a data-driven effort to identify the core areas crucial for export promotion at the sub-national level. All the states and union territories have been assessed on crucial parameters that are critical for any typical economic unit to achieve sustainable export growth.
“The Index will be a helpful guide for the state governments to benchmark regional performance with respect to export promotion and thus deliver key policy insights on how to improve and enhance the same,” said NITI Aayog CEO Amithabh Kant.
EXPORT PREPAREDNESS
Odisha leads in export preparedness leaving behind industrially developed states like Telangana, Haryana, Karnataka, Delhi, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh
State tops in exporting items like aluminum ingots, Ferro-Chromium Carbon, Alumina Calcined, Iron-ore pellets , shrimps and prawns