Cabinet okays 8 policies ahead of 'Make in Odisha' conclave

Ahead of the 'Make in Odisha' conclave, the Odisha government today rolled out eight new policies to attract investments and generate employment in the next five years.
"We will have a series of policies in hands before the ensuing 'Make In Odisha' Conclave. The investors will get opportunities to know what benefits are in store for them," Chief Secretary A P Padhi told reporters after a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The policies entailed handloom, apparel, food processing, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, renewable energy, MSME development and tourism.
Of the eight policies, four were completely new while four others have been modified, Padhi said adding that the renewable energy policy, biotechnology policy, pharmaceutical policy and apparel policy are fresh ones aimed at triggering create maximum employment.

Stating that biotechnology, a sunrise industry has a vast scope for investment and potential for employment generation in the state, Padhi said the state with its rich biodiversity and vast natural resources, coupled with industry friendly policy measures, will become a major destination for investment in the biotechnology sector.
Padhi said the policy is tailored with an intention to turn Odisha among the top five "bio-tech Hub" in India for biotechnology investments through strategic partnership initiatives, industrial infrastructure development, investment assistance and policy interventions.

On the Apparel Policy, Padhi said the objective was to encourage investment in the apparel sector and attract the Odia workforce engaged somewhere else in the country and abroad.

The policy is meant for setting up the apparel units and apparel park. The investors will get the benefits under the IPR (industrial policy resolution) 2015, Padhi said.
The 'Make in Odisha' conclave is scheduled to be held from November 30-December 2.