Chowdwar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday laid the foundation stone of a textile park in Odisha’s Chowdwar. The integrated textile manufacturing facility and warehousing complex set up by Wellspun Group with an investment of Rs 3,050 crore is likely to employ 10,000 youth directly and provide employment to 20,000 indirectly besides creating self-employment opportunities for others in the state.
Speaking on the occasion, the CM said with the establishment of the complex, Choudwar has got back its glory. “Chowdwar was developed as an industrial hub by former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik in the 1950s. Today, once again, a new history has been created for Chowdwar, for the district Cuttack, and for the state of Odisha.”
The CM informed that cotton farmers in Kalahandi, Balangir, Rayagada and Gajapati will benefit from the complex which will also provide employment opportunities for women of the state. “Women will be provided skill training to hone their skills,” he said.
The state industrial department and Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL) had given a proposal for setting up a textile facility in Odisha to Welspun Group Chairman B K Goenka during the Make In Odisha programme in 2022.
“Welspun Group will create a new chapter in Odisha’s growth story which began 20 years back,” said its chairman Goenka and added, “Today, Odisha is getting more investments than any other state in the country.” Besides 10,000 direct employment opportunities, 20,000 indirect employment opportunities will also created, he said.
Appreciating the CM and the 5T Initiative of the state government, he said the government schools of Odisha are performing better than private schools today.
Stating that Choudwar was the first industrial town of Odisha, Industries Minister Pratap Keshari Deb said the complex will also create self-employment opportunities for many in the state.
5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman VK Pandian mentioned the various government initiatives under 5T and informed that scholarship under the Nua-O scheme will be provided by February 25.
