[Watch] In Dubai, Odisha CM Meets String Of Business Leaders; Firms ‘Interested’ To Invest Over Rs 21,000 Cr In State

Dubai: Companies in the UAE and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region have expressed interest for investments worth over Rs 21,000 crore in Odisha with potential to employ more than 19,000 people.

At the Odisha Investors’ Meet that was inaugurated in Dubai on Wednesday, companies expressed interest to invest in the state across sectors such as infrastructure, hospitality, logistics, chemicals and food processing, among others.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik assured the companies of unmatched facilitation and support.

Addressing officials of over 150 companies in the UAE and MENA region attending the meet, Naveen said that Odisha attracted investments worth $50 billion during the last two COVID years and that the state is an attractive destination for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in sectors such as metals and metal downstream, chemicals and petrochemicals, textiles and apparel, including technical textiles, food processing, including seafood processing, ESDM, logistics and clean energy.

More than 150 companies based out of the UAE and MENA region from sectors comprising minerals and metals processing, petrochemicals, chemicals, plastics, heavy industries, clean energy, food processing, including sea food processing, electrical equipment & electronics manufacturing, logistics & warehousing, real estate and hospitality attended the meet. Leading industry associations from the region, including the Indian Business & Professional Council (IBPC), participated in the event.

Besides Naveen, a delegation of senior officials from Odisha attended the meet jointly organised by FICCI and the Embassy of India in UAE. Indian Ambassador to UAE Sunjay Sudhir also graced the occasion.

Principal Secretary (Industries) Hemant Sharma made a presentation on “Odisha’s Industrial Ecosystem” highlighting the huge investment opportunities in the state.

Naveen also announced that the state would be conducting the third edition of its flagship Global Investors Meet — “Make In Odisha 2022” — from November 30 to December 4, 2022 in Bhubaneswar. He invited businesses in the MENA region to attend the Make In Odisha 2022 meet and witness the opportunities the state offers.