Ahmedabad: Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday invited Gujarat-based companies to invest in the state, pitching Odisha as a gateway to eastern and South East Asian markets.Majhi, who is on a three-day visit to Gujarat with senior state officials, said stronger industrial ties between the two coastal states could support India’s growth ambitions. “Gujarat and Odisha will create a two-coast strategy, and it will play a major role in making India a developed country,” he said during an investor meet in Ahmedabad.Highlighting Odisha’s recent investment momentum, Majhi said the state govt had approved 433 projects in the last 22 months with proposed investments worth Rs 8.37 lakh crore. “Out of this, around Rs 3 lakh crore investment is already under progress,” he said.He said Odisha’s industrial base was expanding beyond minerals and metals into textiles, medical devices, logistics and new-age sectors. “We invite industries from Gujarat for expansion projects in the East. It allows access to North East markets and also port connectivity to eastern countries,” Majhi said.Majhi said Gujarat entrepreneurs had made a major contribution to India’s economic development and could find strong opportunities in Odisha’s growth story.Officials of the Odisha govt also briefed industry leaders on the state’s investment policies. Officials said companies including Welspun, Epigral, Kiri Industries and Ratnamani Metals were already investing in Odisha.
