Bhubaneswar, Dec 1 (FN Bureau) Odisha is destined to become a trillion-dollar economy in the near future and emerge as the gateway to East and South East Asia, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said here on Thursday. Addressing the plenary session with CXOs and industry leaders on the second day of the third edition of the Make in Odisha conclave, Patnaik said the state has attracted major investments in steel and aluminum projects and will emerge as the global hub in these sectors by the turn of this decade. Extending a warm welcome to industry leaders, investors and all delegates, he said “we are ambitious to develop Odisha in other sectors too and make a huge capital investment in improving our transport infrastructure – expressways, railways, airports and sea ports. Odisha, a progressive state with a clear focus on transformation in all sectors, is also fast emerging as a major investment destination in the country, the Chief Minister said. Patnaik invited the industry leaders to come and invest in New Odisha and assured them that the state government will run the extra mile to make them comfortable in the state.
“We will walk along your side and make sure your dreams as an entrepreneur are realized”, he remarked. Patnaik further said the state’s fiscal prudence and economic management has been appreciated across the country and claimed that Odisha is one of the few states with adequate revenues to undertake large-scale infrastructure projects. “Our investor-friendly initiatives and transformative governance has put us on a journey of progress and prosperity”, the Chief Minister said and invited the industry leaders to join on this journey. Patnaik also welcomed country partners – the Ambassadors of Japan and Norway, and the Consul General of Germany to the Land of new opportunities. Stating that Odisha’s prosperity is inter-linked with new investments, the Chief Minister welcomed the industry leaders. He said the new Industrial Policy provides support and incentives which are beyond the best in the country. The state, he said, is also launching new policies in the sectors of tourism, renewable energy, apparel and textile, food processing, exports and so on. Patnaik asserted that the state will continue to work with each one of the industry leaders, understand their requirements and provide the best support systems.