Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government today inked 11 MoUs with several corporate houses for setting up of industrial projects worth Rs 23,389.43 crore in the state.

The MoUs were inked at the first day of the 24^th edition of Enterprise Odisha at Jharsuguda today. Successful implementation of the projects will generate employment opportunities for 15,168 people, said an official.

The state government in collaboration with the CII organised the three-day business summit at the western Odisha town.

“The volume of the investment proposals may go up as the summit is set to host several government-to-business (G2B) and business-to-business (B2B) meetings on the concluding day,” added the official.

The Odisha government is committed to extend industrial development to every part of the state. Western Odisha towns Jharsuguda, Rourkela and Sambalpur have solidified their positions as pivotal contributors to the development not just within Odisha but on a national scale, said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in a video message at the inaugural ceremony of the business summit.

Delivering the keynote address, Western Odisha Development Council chairperson Asit Tripathy said, “Jharsuguda is poised for rapid advancement with abundant opportunities. It will carve out a distinct place on Odisha’s industrial landscape in the coming days.”

Speaking at the event, Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena said the Odisha government has introduced several policies to attract investment into the state.

“Odisha is a revenue surplus state. The state is now spending around 6.5 per cent of its GSDP to augment infrastructure and it aspires to grow at 7.5-8 per cent in coming years. Odisha has transformed into a manufacturing powerhouse,” he added.

The Biju Economic Corridor that connects the western Odisha with the southern districts of the state presents a substantial opportunity for entrepreneurs, said the Chief Secretary.

Industries department Principal Secretary Hemant Sharma also spoke at the event.

At least 58 corporate houses, 150 exhibitors, 54 industry partners, several industry associations and around 1,000 business delegates participated in the 24^th edition of Enterprise Odisha at Jharsuguda.