Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is currently in Rome, will attend an ‘Investors’ Meet’, jointly organised by the State government and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), in Dubai on June 26.
The aim is to attract potential investors from the Middle East and adjoining regions.
The Naveen’s team, which includes Chief Secretary Suresh Mohapatra and Industries Principal Secretary Hemant Sharma among others, will try to bring as much investment as possible in the fields like petrochemicals, plastic, food processing, sea food processing, textiles and tourism.
The CM will have one-to-one meet with the investors and the primary focus of the discussions will be to attract them to invest in Odisha. The Naveen’s team will apprise the potential investors of what incentives they will get from the government and the opportunities involved.
The CM will stay in Dubai for four days and during this period, he will also have a meeting with the Odia expats living in the Middle East region.
“We do believe that large amount of investment will come from the Middle East and in that case, the youths of our State will immensely be benefitted,” said Industry, Energy and MSME Minister Pratap Keshari Deb.
Mentioning about the topics that will feature in the discussions, Director, AKN Group of Companies, Dubai Amiya Mishra said, “The discussions will focus on opportunities available in Odisha and who will be the potential investors.”
An Odia expat, Akshay Parija said, “Bahrain Odia Association, Oman Odia Association, Qatar Odia Association and Abu Dhabi Odia Association are excited to meet the CM.”
During his stay in the capital city of Italy, CM Naveen will also attend the World Food Programme. On June 23, the Odia expats living in Netherland, Germany, Belgium and Italy will meet the CM.
However, the significance of the CM’s Rome visit is his meeting with Pope Francis in Vatican City. Prior to Naveen, Giridhar Gamang had met Pope Francis in 1989. Then he was the Communications minister in the centre.
Recollecting the occasion, Gamang said, “My meeting with the Pope was an opportunity in itself.”
“For the Christians, it is matter of great joy that our Chief Minister will meet our religion’s head,” said John Barua, Archbishop.