Singapore keen to invest in Odisha
Investors of Singapore have evinced keen interest in making forays into Odisha and are eyeing several key sectors like IT, ITES and manufacturing. International Enterprise (IE), that coordinates investments out of Singapore, is ready to initiate an Odisha portfolio and a team of Singapore business community is likely to visit the State soon to explore opportunities and possibilities of association and partnership.
International Enterprise (IE), the Singapore government agency that coordinates investments out of Singapore, is keen to initiate the portfolio. IE is considering shifting some projects from other locations to Bhubaneswar because of cost advantage. It is also interested in manufacturing and consumer market in the field of food, health care and retail, government sources said here.
This has been the major outcome of the Invest Bhubaneswar Summit hosted by Invest Bhubaneswar in the island nation on November 27, with representation of top Government officials, including Chief Secretary Bijay Patnaik, secretaries of different departments along with a business delegation from the State.
Addressing the event, chief secretary B K Patnaik had assured the foreigners that Bhubaneswar will have international connectivity by March 2013. He urged international airlines to consider operating flights to and from Bhubaneswar. Patnaik also spoke about available opportunities in IT and ITES, electronic hardware, energy and infrastructure segments.
Hard-selling the State, the Chief Secretary held discussions with counterparts from the IE, Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce, Infocomm Development Authority and representatives from the embassies of Singapore and India and local businesses. He stressed on available opportunities in the sectors of IT, ITES, electronic hardware, energy and infrastructure segments. Apart from available incentives, special incentives can be framed on receiving serious interest.
The team from the State also met with the CEO of Silk Air to explore direct air connectivity between Singapore and Bhubaneswar in view of the imminent upgrade of the Biju Patnaik Airport to international standards. Secretaries of Tourism, IT and Energy Ashok Tripathy, MS Padhi and PK Jena respectively projected opportunities in their specific areas. President of Indian Singapore Chamber of Commerce R Narayan Mohan and T Venkateshwar Rao from the Indian High Commission, Singapore, were present.
