Naveen spreads red carpet to UK industrialists

BHUBANESWAR: Resource-rich Odisha is committed to have more Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects and ‘transparent and time-bound’ single-window clearance to attract Foreign Direct Investment, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said.“I am committed to have more PPP projects and the State has a single-window clearance system which is transparent and time-bound,” Naveen said at a reception organised in his honour by the Indo-European Business Forum in London on Monday.The gathering included leaders of the industry and business in Europe, especially the UK. While welcoming the Chief Minister, the speakers appreciated the efforts being made by the Government in facilitating investment in the State. They suggested that there was a need to further boost investment especially in the infrastructure sector. They suggested setting up Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for PPP projects and to award such projects, after getting all clearances, through a bidding process.The Chief Minister thanked the organisers for the meeting, which offered an opportunity to personally meet the leading industrialists and businessmen in that part of the world. He highlighted that Odisha is a resource-rich State having abundant reserves of coal, iron, chromite, bauxite etc. It also has a vast coastline and excellent port facilities. He stated that though the State has a number of primary industries in steel, aluminium and power sectors, it would also like to invite investment in downstream industries that are employment intensive. He informed the gathering that the State Government was laying emphasis on skill development and training of the youth so that they can be gainfully employed. He also highlighted that the State Government is focussed on development of agriculture and irrigation, improving the health and nutritional status of women and children and taking all-round measures to ameliorate poverty. He said his government would consider the model of SPVs for PPP projects as suggested by GP Hinduja, Co-Chairman of the Hinduja Group. In the end he invited the participants to come and invest in Odisha and be partners in its growth.