Odisha Gives Nod To 10 Industrial Projects Worth Rs 1,900 Cr, Expected To Generate 5,000 Jobs

The Government of Odisha on Saturday approved industrial projects worth over Rs 1,900 crores which are expected to generate over 5,000 jobs in the state.

Odisha's State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) in its meeting on Saturday approved 10 industrial projects worth Rs 1,923.60 crores that would generate employment opportunities for around 5,170 people in the state.

The approved projects cover a diverse set of industries, ranging from energy and renewable power to food processing, tourism, and information technology. 

The SLSWCA is chaired by Odisha's Chief Secretary is part of the state's Single Window Clearance System for investment proposals. It's in place to simplify and expediate the assessment and approval of proposals.

"The approvals and clearances for the establishment and operations of the industries shall be through an on-line portal with minimum human interface...This system enables the investor to approach a single designated authority and seek all clearances and approvals to setup and operationalize an industry," says the Odisha government on its website. 

How does Single Window Clearance work?

The mechanism has been instituted under the Odisha Industries (Facilitation) Act 2004. 

Under this mechanism, there are three levels at which proposals are sent and approved depending on their value.

1. District level

All projects with proposed investment of up to Rs 50 crore are assessed and cleared at district level.

"An investor with a proposed investment of less than Rs 50 crore approaches the respective District Industrial Centre, which acts as the nodal agency for all further approval and clearance process. The project is considered for clearances by the District Level Single Window Clearance Authority (DLSWA)," says Odisha government.

2. State level

All projects with proposed investment above Rs 50 crores are assessed and cleared at state level by SLSWCA, which is chaired by Odisha's Chief Secretary.

"For projects with investment greater than Rs 50 crore, the nodal agency for single window clearance process is Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited. All the proposals with proposed investment amount of greater than Rs. 50 Crore are evaluated and assessed by SLSWCA," says the government. 

The upper limit for SLSWCA is Rs 1,000 crore.

3. The Chief Minister's level

Huge projects with proposed investment greater than Rs 1,000 crores are assessed and cleared by a body headed by the Chief Minister of Odisha.

"For projects with proposed investment of greater than Rs. 1,000 crore, a special High Level Clearance Agency (HLCA), headed by the Chief Minister, has been constituted for the clearances," says Odisha government. 

What are projects cleared today?

The SLSWCA on Saturday cleared 10 projects worth Rs 1,923.60 crores that would generate employment opportunities for around 5,170 people in the state.

These projects cover a wide range of industries, such as food processing, chemicals, information technology, hospitality, energy, and textiles.

Four of these projects will be set up in Khordha district, and one each in districts Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Balasore, Keonjhar, and Angul. 

Here is the list of the approved projects:

1. Luminous Power Technologies Private Limited's manufacturing unit in the Angul Aluminium Park.

It will manufacture new technology eco-friendly batteries fuel cell, advanced chemistry cell (ACC batteries), and power storage and solar batteries with a proposed investment of Rs 481 Crores generating employment for over 1,150 people Odisha. 

2. Silox India Private Limited's chemical manufacturing unit in the Paradeep Industrial Area in Jagatsinghpur. 

The unit is expected to produce 25,000 MTPA Sodium Formaldehyde Sulphoxylate, 2,000 MTPA Zinc Formaldehyde Sulphoxylate, and 15,000 MTP metal salts of cobalt, nickel, magnesium, lithium, and  zinc, with an investment of Rs 500 crore which is expected to generate employment opportunities for over 800 people in Odisha, according to Odisha's government's press note.

3. Happiest Minds Technologies Limited's software development centre facility in the O-Hub in Info-valley Special Economic Zone, Bhubaneswar.

With proposed investment of Rs 265 crore, it will offer IT services and is expected to create over 1,500 highly skilled job opportunities in Odisha. 

4. MGM Resorts Pvt Ltd's 5-star Hotel Hyatt Regency with an investment of Rs 180 crores at New Marine Drive Road, Puri. 

5. Oil India Limited's oil and gas exploration units with an installed capacity of 10 KLPD each in Astaranga, Puri, and Patkura, Kendrapada. 

Oil India Limited will invest over Rs 108 crores in Odisha creating employment opportunities for over 115 people in these two locations.

6. IFB Agro Industries Limited's aqua feed manufacturing facility in Somanathpur Industrial Estate, Balasore.

It has a proposed investment of Rs Rs 150 crore with an estimated employment potential of over 270. 

7. Offshore Infrastructures Limited's fabrication unit in Keonjhar to produce 5,00,000 inch dia piping spools and 25,000 MT industrial structures per annum.

It has an investment proposal of Rs 54 crores with an employment potential of 140 people.

8.  Mehan Industries Pvt Ltd's unit for EPF foam, bonded foam, latex foam, memory foam, and PU foam in Khordha. 

The proposed investment is Rs 50.05 crores with an employment potential of 506 people.

9. SGP Trading India Pvt Ltd's logistics park, including an assembling and recycling unit, in Khordha with proposed investment of 90 crore and employment potential of 200 people.

10.  Sri Jaybalajee Agro products Pvt Ltd's warehousing and logistic park in Khordha with proposed investment of Rs 54 crores and employment potential of 258 people.

Odisha aims to be international industrial hub

Odisha has long been associated with mineral and other natural resources industries, but Odisha government now says it's diversifying into other industries.

It further says it's seeking to not just be an industrial leader in Eastern India but also in East and South East Asia, leveraging its costal advantage.

"While Odisha has always been a destination of choice for the mineral and metallurgy sector, the stable and progressive governance over the last two decades, along with factors like fast technology adoption by the state and a highly skilled workforce, are contributing to the development of Odisha as an industrial hub in Eastern India and possibly, a fulcrum for industrial and trade-related activities in the East and South-East Asian region," said Odisha government in a press note.