Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, on Tuesday, performed the groundbreaking-cum-inauguration ceremony for 18 industrial units, totalling an investment of ₹2,196.30 crore.

The projects are expected to create employment opportunities for 3,465 people.

Commitments for the majority of investments were made during the biennial investor summit ‘Make-in-Odisha’ last November.

‘Manufacturing hub’

According to the Chief Minister, the State government’s vision is to become the ‘manufacturing hub of the East’. “GO-SWIFT, the State’s online single-window portal, has received 600 industrial project applications in over 14 months,” a release issued by the Industries Department quoted him as saying.

According to the release, the food processing sector received a significant boost with six projects with investments totalling over ₹670 crore.

New projects

Two aluminium downstream units had their groundbreaking ceremony done at the Angul Aluminium Park, a joint venture between the state-owned IDCO and Nalco.

Among the major projects inaugurated was a ₹401-crore investment by Emami Cement for its 1.50 million tonne per annum cement grinding unit at Kalinganar. Notable projects whose groundbreaking took place include a ₹500-crore proposal by Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages for expansion at Khurda, and a ₹625-crore iron ore pelletisation plant of Narbheram Power and Steel Pvt Ltd at Gundichapada Industrial Estate in Dhenkanal. Meanwhile, eight investment proposals worth nearly ₹1,200 crore, and generating over 5,000 jobs, were given the go-ahead by the State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSCWA). The list was led by Aditya Birla Fashion’s proposal to set up an apparel manufacturing unit at Tikri in Rayagada district at an investment of ₹114 crore.

Veg oil unit

Hyderabad-based Gemini Edibles and Fats India (makers of Freedom brand of oil) has proposed the setting up of a 396 KTPA vegetable oil manufacturing unit at the Tata Steel Industrial Park at Ganjam thereby investing ₹300 crore.

Other projects that got approval include one from Bengaluru-based Kurlon (to set up a PU foam manufacturing facility), GMLR Techno Industries (to set up a manufacturing unit for PVC water storage tanks), Astral Polytechnik (for plastic pipe and fittings manufacturing unit).

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