What are the key ingredients required for industries to flourish in any region? The list is simple to make (but challenging to implement) - easy availability of natural resources, connectivity, skilled workers, finance, supply chain, vital utilities like power & water, supporting infrastructure and ease of doing business with the right kind of policy framework and implementation.
"The State of Odisha is now ready to welcome industries with all these facilities," says Sanjeev Chopra, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Government of Odisha. "So far, most industries haven't looked at Odisha as manufacturing destination and we want to now change that perception. Importantly, we are putting in all the required efforts to bring about this change," he says.
Growth zone
Indeed, Odisha is one of the fastest growing economies in the country. In 2016-17, Odisha registered a GSDP growth rate of 7.94 percent, surpassing the national GDP growth rate of 7.1 percent, indicating that the economy in Odisha is on a higher growth trajectory. "The state has set a vision to attract investments worth Rs. 2.5 lakh crore and generate employment for 30 lakh citizens by 2025 through six focus sectors that include - Agro & Food Processing, Ancillary & Downstream in Metals, Electronics Manufacturing & IT/ITeS, Chemicals, Petrochemicals & Plastics, Textiles & Apparel and Tourism," says Chopra. It is also worth mentioning that Odisha is one of India's most resource rich regions. According to Chopra, the State's mineral production of over US$ 3.6 billion forms 11.1 percent of the total value of mineral production in India. The state is the India's largest producer of chromite, iron ore and bauxite. It is the second largest producer of coal and the third largest producer of manganese.
Focussed on industries
Currently, Odisha has three investment zones, seven sector specific clusters and 106 industrial estates. One of the first of its kind projects developed by the state is India's only integrated missile test range in Chandipur. "To provide a further boost to the defence manufacturing sector, Odisha Government will announce its defence manufacturing policy in the next three months," says Chopra. Other noteworthy projects developed by Odisha include the Paradip Petroleum, Chemicals & Petrochemicals Investment Region (One of the 4 PCPIRs in India), the Info valley with an exclusive Electronics System Design Manufacturing cluster, the Sea Food Park (First of its kind in India) and the Angul Aluminium park (Odisha is already contributing to 54 percent of India's total smelting capacity).
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