Bhubaneswar, Sep 17 (Bureau) Odisha is amongst the most favourable investment destinations in India, Vedant Resource Chairman Anil Agarwal said. Agarwal who met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the sidelines of the ‘Make in Odisha – 2022’ roadshow being organised by the Odisha Government in Mumbai on Wednesday day said stable governance, leadership, a vision of Naveen Patnaik, Single window clearance system, 5T framework, focus on infrastructure projects, have increased the investor community’s confidence in Odisha. He said on account of this, Vedant has new investments of more than Rs 25,000 crores in line for the expansion of aluminium, ferrochrome and mining business, which will create more job opportunities and revenue for the state. Vedant is also setting up one of the largest Aluminium Parks near Jharsuguda smelter to boost the domestic aluminium downstream ecosystem., Agarwal said.
He said investment in Jharsuguda turn the district into a vibrant industrial hub with an airport. Odisha’s rich culture, technically skilled manpower and natural resource sector have contributed significantly to boost the GDP of the nation. Beyond business, vedant is in the process of establishing 650 Nand Ghars, which will benefit more than 5 lakh women & children with interventions in education, nutrition, healthcare and skill development. This will be in addition to our 360-degree community development programs in hundreds of villages.” The Vedanta Group has made its single largest investment in Odisha till date, in aluminium manufacturing value chain, ferrochrome, mining and value-addition, to the tune of Rs 80,000 crores. With this quantum of investment, Vedanta is contributing nearly 4 per cent to Odisha’s state GDP through its operations (direct & indirect). The company, he said, has also created over 5 lakh livelihood opportunities and fostered hundreds of MSMEs in the state.