Odisha organizes Investors’ Meet for Make in Odisha Conclave’22 in Bengaluru to showcase investment opportunities in the state and invite participation in the flagship event

BENGALURU, 28 September 2022: The Government of Odisha, in collaboration with FICCI today organized the Odisha Investors’ Meet. Mr Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha; Mr Pratap Keshari Deb, Minister – Industries, MSME & Energy, Govt of Odisha; Mr Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Skill Development & Technical Education and Chairman-IDCO and Chairman-IPICOL, Govt of Odisha; Mr Manoj Kumar Mishra, Secretary, E&IT Department; Dr Omkar Rai, Executive Chairman, Start-Up Odisha, Mr K Ullas Kamath, Chairman, FICCI Karnataka State Council and Senior Officials from the industries Department & IPICOL were present in the meeting, which was attended by over 400 delegates, representing various industries from across India.

Addressing the esteemed guests Mr Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha, extended his warmest of greetings to the dignitaries and stated, “Odisha is one of the fastest growing economies in India and has consistently grown above the national average in the last decade and a half. We are fast emerging as a major industrial destination in India because of our natural resource advantage and strategic location. Odisha’s abundant natural resources, skilled and productive human resources, progressive policies and strong result-oriented governance provide a unique ecosystem. Today, Odisha is ranked among the top states in India in terms of live manufacturing investments and has been accorded the achievers status in the recently released ease of doing business ratings by the Govt of India. The Make in Odisha Conclave’22 with Business Leadership Talks, Sectoral Sessions, Start-up Session, and Women Entrepreneurship Sessions, along with Cultural Programs offers an array of action spread over 5 days for investors and the public.”

Speaking on start-ups, he spoke about the establishment of O-Hub and Odisha Innovation Fund. “We have established Odisha Start-up Hub (O-Hub) in Bhubaneswar to provide a world-class incubation and co-working facility to state-based Startups. We have also set up the Odisha Youth Innovation Fund to support grassroots innovations, which are essentially technological solutions and the development of successful business models by youths in different sectors.”

“As we enter into a new era of industrialization propelled by advancements in technology and a philosophy of sustainability, we require a collaborative effort between the government, industry and people to ensure consistent growth,” he added.

The Chief Minister also highlighted about the stable governance in the state for over two decades, Odisha’s position in the EoDB ranking, competitive cost of doing business, impact of investment facilitation, best-in-class incentives and highly skilled human resources, which helped the state achieve a distinct competitive advantage over others. He also talked about the various industrial parks and regions the Government of Odisha had developed to provide best-in-class facilitation to investors across sectors. He mentioned that the markets in Eastern and North-Eastern India were on a faster growth path than other parts of the country and Odisha provides industries with the best facilities to set up units to cater to these markets.

Concluding his address and extending an invitation to the dignitaries attending the meeting the Chief Minister said, “The Make in Odisha Conclave’22 (MIO’ 22) will be held in Bhubaneswar from 30th November to 4th November 2022. I would request all the dignitaries and Industry leaders present here to kindly participate in Make in Odisha and be a partner in this transformational journey of Odisha. MIO’22 aims to provide a platform for industry leaders from across the world to discuss a roadmap for industrial development in the coming years. A humble beginning was made in 2016, which saw a footfall of 18,500 and received over 120 investment intents valued at over Rs. 2 Lakh Crore. In 2018, we hosted the 2nd edition which raised the bar even higher, received an influx of 45,000 visitors, and received investments worth over Rs. 4 Lakh. We need your support and cooperation to ensure that this year’s event is a grand success. Through the Conclave, we want to build new relationships and strengthen our old relationships with all of you. We want you all to be a partner in Odisha’s growth story.”

Mr K Ullas Kamath, Chairman, FICCI Karnataka State Council welcomed the august gathering and initiated the Odisha Investors’ Meet by stating that the team from Odisha led by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik is in Bengaluru to apprise everyone present about the state’s flagship investment summit, the Make in Odisha Conclave’22 and invite them to the event.

Mr Kamath also highlighted on how Odisha has been one of the major breakout states in the country in terms of development, registering impressive GSDP growth rates year-after-year and industrializing at break-neck speed. Odisha has had an impressive ride soaring even higher with a strong foundation that has been laid under the leadership of our Chief minister. He stated that FICCI is proud to be the National Industry Partner to the Government of Odisha in organizing the ‘Make in Odisha Conclave’ and he extended FICCIs support and commitment towards making the Conclave a huge success.

Mr Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Skill Development & Technical Education and Chairman-IDCO and Chairman-IPICOL, Government of Odisha, made a presentation about the industrial ecosystem in Odisha and about the Make in Odisha Conclave’22 to the audience.

Mr Manoj Mishra, Secretary, Electronics & IT Department, Government of Odisha spoke about the emerging IT/ITeS ecosystem in the state. He also highlighted the growth-focused and future-oriented IT Policy, Data Centre Policy, BPO Policy, and Electronics Policy brought in by the Government of Odisha to further strengthen the ESDM and IT/ITeS sector and attract new investments into the state.

Dr Omkar Rai, Executive Chairman, Start-Up Odisha focused on the ever-growing Start-up ecosystem in Odisha. He informed the audience that Odisha has been recognized as a ‘Top Performer’ and a ‘Leader’ by DPIIT, Government of India in States’ Start-up Ranking 2018 & 2019 respectively.

Mr Pratap Keshari Deb, Minister – Industries, MSME & Energy, Govt of Odisha said, “Under the Hon’ble CM, the state government has taken a Whole-of-Government approach toward service delivery to citizens and businesses. We are today becoming a destination of choice for investors across the country. I would like to welcome all the Industry Captains; associations and their members present here to come and explore Odisha as your next investment destination.”

Earlier in the day, Mr Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha met several senior industrialists across sectors to discuss their plans for Odisha and personally invite them to the Make in Odisha Conclave’22. During the discussions, Mr Patnaik highlighted the major pro-business reforms undertaken by his government and asked the Industrialists to explore Odisha as a potential destination for their businesses.

Some of the major investors who met the Chief Minister of Odisha for a one-on-one G2B meetings were: