Reported by Sandeep Pattnaik

Bhubaneswar, Feb 22:

Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) president Ramesh Chandra Mohapatra today said Odisha is now ready for the next big leap in industrialisation.

ucci golden jubilee
"Around Rs 8 lakh crore worth of investment proposals pertaining to steel, power, petroleum, aluminum, mega food parks etc have already been cleared by IPICOL, the state level nodal agency for investment promotion and also the single window agency for clearance of investment proposals. Out of this, Rs 5 lakh crore investments has already been committed in various sectors so far. With so much of investment coming in, Odisha is now poised for the next big leap in industrialiasation," Mohapatra said addressing the inaugural function of the mega industry and trade exhibition, christened “Odisha Moves Forward”, organised by UCCI to mark its golden jubilee year here on Saturday.

The fair will end on February 26.

“The chamber has been able to interact with the government and has successfully addressed the problems of the members / industrial units by reduction of VAT on specific items, reduction in free power by captive power plants, allotment of coal to industries in the state and a host of other problems,” the UCCI president said.

Inaugurating the fair, MSME minister Damodar Rout invited entrepreneurs to start enterprises in Odisha rather than migrate outside so as to make it the No 1 state in the country in terms of trade and commerce.

“Fly ash bricks and tiles, fisheries, animal husbandry and agriculture using modern techniques are some of the areas where our youth can explore the immense possibilities offered by the MSME sector,” the minister said.

Leading corporate houses like MMTC, IFFCO, Tata Steel, Tata Power, Aditya Birla Co, Jindal Steel, PPL, and a number of sea food and mineral exporting units will participate in the five-day exhibition,

An innovation and business idea competition will be held among management and engineering students of Odisha with cash prizes for the three best judged business plans. “UCCI will help to get funds for grounding of the business ideas of these young entrepreneurs,” Mohapatra added.

UCCI has drawn up a year-long plan to celebrate its golden year during which it would organise a host of national and international level seminars on food processing, steel and mines, forest and environment, urban development, mining and geology, power and infrastructure, renewable energy etc.

Among others, Rajiv Dube, director of Aditya Birla Group and S S Mishra, Chairman, Paradip Port Trust also spoke on the occasion.