Odisha Delegation On US Visit To Attract Investors In IT Sector

Bhubaneswar: A high-level delegation of the Odisha government has left for the United States of America to showcase the state’s potential in the electronics and IT sector and woo investors. The visit assumes significance as it comes after the state Cabinet approved a new semiconductor policy.

The delegation, led by Electronics and IT Minister Tusharkanti Behera, will be in San Francisco for a week and interact with investors and key players of IT, semiconductor and chip manufacturing companies at Silicon Valley, sources said.

This is the third overseas investors’ meet of team Odisha after similar exercises in Dubai and Japan. The aim is to present the state’s potential to attract investments from the Silicon Valley. As India aspires to become the global semiconductor hub in next few years, Odisha’s push for a robust semiconductor ecosystem seeks to develop the state as a major destination for investors.

Odisha has planned at least one semiconductor and 100 fables design units by 2030. The upcoming units are expected to generate 5,000 direct and 20,000 indirect employment in next seven years. Odisha is the third state to introduce a separate policy for semiconductors after Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. The state cabinet approved the Semiconductor Manufacturing and Fabless Policy, 2023 on Friday.

The policy will help the state transform into a leading centre of semiconductor and chip design and manufacturing by attracting large scale investments. The state government will soon implement its ambitious Odisha Chip (O-Chip) programme to boost the electronic sector.

The initiative that will institutionally address the difficulties experienced by the fabless ecosystem aims at creating a state-of-the-art facility for semiconductor designing and manufacturing and generating high-end jobs. A budgetary provision of Rs 30 crore has been made in this year’s budget for creating a centre of excellence (CoE) that will bring top rated industry associations and research institutions under one umbrella.

The delegation visiting the US includes Development Commissioner Anu Garg, principal secretary of IT department Manoj Mishra, 5T secretary VK Pandian, sports secretary R Vineel Kishna and IT special secretary Manas Panda. The team is slated to return on July 31.