Industries dept targets 300,000 new jobs by 2019

Rs 1.73 lakh cr new investments expected

The state industries department targets to generate 300,000 new jobs by 2019 banking on growth in manufacturing sector that is seen as the key job creator.

The share of manufacturing sector to the state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is poised to rise by 60 per cent by 2019. The manufacturing sector is projected to clock year-on-year growth of 15 per cent during 2015-19.

Odisha expects new investments of Rs 1.73 lakh crore by 2019-20, creating more employment opportunities. Manufacturing sector is set to account for 25 per cent increase in employment figure.

During 2015-19, the state planned to set up 10 new industrial estates at Sundargarh, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Angul, Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda and Ganjam.

To facilitate and ease industrial infrastructure, the state government has planned land banks. A total of 110,000 acres has been identified for creation of land banks, of which 50,000 acres are under various stages of acquisition. The government plans to put in place a fully integrated industrial land information system to ease hassles for investors.

"The land bank survey has been completed. We are soon going to come up with guidelines for land banks," said industries minister Debi Prasad Mishra.

"The Cabinet has recently approved the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) policy. Guidelines would be formulated for implementation of this policy. The Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR) 2015 is in its last leg and would be finalised soon," he added.

For branding Odisha as a favoured industrial destination, the industries department proposed to hold a Global Investment summit in the state in 2016. A mobile application has been planned for industrial promotion and facilitation.