The state’s investment outreach in the United Arab Emirates from September 9 to 11 is the latest example of this effort. The Odisha Investors’ Meet resulted in proposed investments of Rs 2,42,162 crore, with an estimated employment potential of 6,18,725, according to the state government.The three-day programme included six roundtables with 160 participants and 26 one-to-one meetings with investors and business leaders, as Odisha sought to attract capital from the Middle East and strengthen business, trade and technology links.

The UAE outreach comes amid a larger investment drive in the state. According to the state government, 514 projects involving investment intents of Rs 9.57 lakh crore have been received in the two years since the Majhi government came to power. Data from the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL), the state’s nodal investment promotion agency, indicates that nearly half of these investment intents are at advanced stages of approval.