'Sky is the limit' for Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik's team in Mumbai to attract investors

'Sky is the limit' for Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik's team in Mumbai to attract investors

The state has formulated a unique scheme under which 30 acres in 30 days, 50 acres in 50 days, and 100 acres in 100 days would be the timeframe for allocation.

CH Unnikrishnan Pavin Elsa NelsonUpdated: Monday, September 19, 2022, 06:06 AM IST
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Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik | PTI

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and key members of his Industries Department, including Pratap Keshari Deb, Minister for Energy, Industries, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, and Principal Secretary Hemant Sharma, were in Mumbai last week to promote the state as India’s best investment destination.

The Free Press Journal caught up with the team visiting the western region to showcase the upcoming 'Make-in-Odisha Conclave' for a quick chat with Minister Deb on what the state has on offer. Excerpts:

How prepared is Odisha to attract industrial investment?

Odisha was hardly in the forefront when it comes to attracting industrial investment. It is now geared to make a big leap thanks to a multi-pronged approach that included creating a land bank, developing a skilled work force, and restructuring policies to make it attractive for investors to come to the state.

This was a quick yet steady process. We did not have lands readily available. So we started gaining land in government possession and now can confidently say we have a good land bank for industry. We also have the best work force and the best industrial policy.

What is the acreage in the land bank?

More than 1,00,000 acres in 12 chosen locations. For an investor who prefers any of these 12 locations, we can allot land without delay. There is a unique scheme we have formulated: 30 acres in 30 days, 50 acres in 50 days, 100 acres in 100 days would be the timeframe for allocation. We also promise water, power and roads at our cost.

Is the 'X-plus' scheme you have announced the first of its kind in the country?

Yes, at least from what we know. We want to compete with other states by providing 'X-plus' incentives, which translates into better incentives as compared to any other state: more competitive cost on power, land and water, among others. That is better than any offer promised or delivered by any state.

Would weather conditions or the likelihood of calamities like cyclones hamper these plans?

What differentiates us from other states on the entire East Coast and West Coast that are cyclone-prone is that we are known for our strong and robust disaster management. Our disaster management system on the coastline is called Green Zone 5. The power system is retrofitted and we have made it more robust along with our industrial designs. It is in compliance with the National Building Code. So when setting up any industry in a coastal area, the Code decides the strength and technical specifications of the building.

What prompted the government to suddenly make the state so investment friendly in such a foolproof manner?

Despite several natural advantages such as a long coast and metal and coal deposits, we were down in food-sector production, agriculture was haywire, technical education was poor, industrial knowhow was poor, that is the kind of environment we came in and that's how we started setting the house in order. We improved finances, then doubled farmers' income. Today we are a success as a state. With a lot of welfare schemes, social inequality was bridged. In these 15 years, we focused on technical education. As you can see now, we have a huge youth force that is technically skilled.

In which areas has skill development taken place?

All types of skills from engineering, IT, electronics, mechanical, you name them, we have them. So this is the base environment to start industries. And that is why the government, under the leadership of the Chief Minister, started industrialisation earnestly from 2016.

What is the target for the conclave?

There is no target. Sky is the limit. As I said, from a needle to anything above. We expect this because we are an all-new state now and would like to industrialise fast.

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