BHUBANESWAR/RAYAGADA: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said that the State’s economy which was hit hard due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is getting back on track.Inaugurating the expansion project of Utkal Alumina Refinery at Kashipur in Rayagada district, the Chief Minister said that the State has attracted investments of Rs 4.5 lakh crore since the pandemic. Besides, the State’s GST collection in July this year has also registered a 54 pc growth over the corresponding period of the previous year, he said and added that investors are expanding their existing projects in Odisha despite the impact of Covid-19.
Speaking on the positive role played by the Aditya Birla group in the development of Odisha, the Chief Minister said that it has been a key player in the State’s journey of industrial development with their meaningful presence spanning across sectors like metals, cement, financial services, apparel and retail. This expansion is a testimony to the long-standing relationship between the Aditya Birla group and Odisha, he added.
The Chief Minister expressed confidence that this expansion will help in further growth of the industrial economy, especially in the tribal regions of Odisha. He also wanted the Aditya Birla group to guide their ancillary units and associates to visit the State and explore more opportunities to invest. This will certainly help build an industrial ecosystem that will benefit all the stakeholders through improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness, he added.
Joining the programme virtually, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group Kumar Mangalam Birla said that over the years the company has invested over Rs 30,000 crore in the State. “Eight of our group businesses have a significant presence in the State and given employment to about 35,000 people”, he said, adding that the group will invest about Rs 7,200 crore in Odisha across various businesses.
Appreciating the vision of the Chief Minister for the all round development of the State and the Odisha government in the success of Indian Hockey at Olympics, he expressed happiness on his role as a proud partner in the development story of the State.With this expansion, the production capacity of Utkal Alumina has been enhanced to 1.5 MTPA to 2 MTPA.