BJP, Congress lambast Odisha Govt over ‘Make In Odisha Conclave’
ONI Bureau: While the 2018 edition of ‘Make In Odisha Conclave’ begins today, both BJP and Congress slammed the initiative saying it would serve no purpose as the Government is not making any serious attempt to properly execute the agreements signed with different companies.
Citing the example of ‘Make In Odisha Conclave 2016’, both parties asked why the projects promised in 2016 could not take off.
“Odisha Govt has ignored the interest of industrialists in the State, leading to large-scale unemployment. Make In Odisha Conclave is a political gimmick – a kind of event management. Only 8% investments were materialized from the proposals made in 2016. 16 steel companies with whom MoUs were signed in 2016 have returned. While nine projects have been commissioned in Odisha, 22 projects either went back or were cancelled”, alleged BJP’s state General Secretary Bhrugu Baxipatra.
“Youths are migrating to other States due to lack of job opportunities. Odisha is doing poor on Ease Of Doing Business rankings; declines from 7th to 14th, while India’s ranking rose by 53 points in last two years. Odisha’s land allotment ranking for industries remains No. 2 from below. Manufacturing sector contribution to GDP falls from 39% to 35%,” he tweeted.
“The #MakeInOdisha Conclave is not for MSMEs or Odia Entrepreneurs from the State. They have been ignored. Industrialists going back from Odisha due to lack of support and red-tapism as well as corruption,” he further added.
Congress Media Cell Head Satya Prakash Nayak sounds more critical of the Odisha Government.
“During the Naveen Patnaik’s 18 year tenure, 279 industry projects were approved, 220 could not take off, 7 withdrew. Ease of doing business rank slips to 14 Till 2015, 15,315 (big n SME) industries closed down,” he alleged.
PCC President Niranjan Patnaik too slammed the Government, saying only a few companies have set up industry in Odisha although many MoUs have been signed in the last 18 years. “Many including POSCO and Mittal have returned from the State while those stayed back are either in poor condition or planning to sell their units,” he alleged.
The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has rubbished the allegations saying the Opposition parties are unable to bear the development work done by Naveen Patnaik-led government in the State, thus they are indulged in slander and malicious campaign.
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