Odisha CM invites Singapore Deputy PM to Utkarsh Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Nov 18 Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has invited the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Gan Kim Yong to attend the Utkarsh Odisha - the Make in Odisha Conclave scheduled to be held in January 2025.

The high-level delegation led by CM Majhi and Industry Minister Sampad Charan Swain on the second day of their four-day visit to Singapore on Monday met various ministers of the Southeast Asian country and prominent investors.

As per a press statement, the delegation attended the first G2G meeting with Gan Kim Yong, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade & Commerce, in Singapore. During the meeting, CM Majhi apprised the Deputy PM about the rich maritime history of Odisha and Boita Bandāna, the traditional Odia maritime and naval festival.

“The Hon’ble Chief Minister extended an invitation to Singaporean companies through the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office to explore opportunities in Odisha and assured him a smooth and supportive investment experience. The Hon’ble Chief Minister and Hon’ble Industries Minister also invited the Deputy Prime Minister to visit Odisha for the Utkarsh Odisha: Make in Odisha Conclave 2025,” reads the statement.

The delegation also met with Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore.

The Chief Minister during the meeting discussed the active cooperation of the Government of Singapore and ITEES that has helped establish the “World Skill Centre in Odisha” which is a shining example of a successful partnership.

CM Majhi expressed the need for more partnerships in the field of “Urban Mobility”, ‘Green Shipping Corridor and the Chemicals and Petrochemicals Complex’ between Odisha and Singapore.

CM Majhi and Industry Minister Swain also invited the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore to participate in the Utkarsh Odisha: Make in Odisha Conclave 2025 and for Singapore to participate as a country of focus during the conclave.

The focus was on key sectors of industrial growth and skill development.

The second day of the delegation began with a detailed tour of the Surbana Jurong Petrochemicals Complex, where the delegation saw the world-class infrastructure that has made Surbana Jurong a global leader in petrochemical processing. The government further asserted that by leveraging insights from Singapore's petrochemicals ecosystem, Odisha aims to further enhance its own Petroleum, Chemicals, and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) at Paradip.

“As the Chief Minister of Odisha, witnessing the world-class infrastructure at the Jurong Petrochemicals Complex is truly inspiring. Odisha, strategically located on India's eastern seaboard, is rapidly emerging as a premier investment destination in the Bay of Bengal region, especially in petrochemicals. The developments at Paradip and other port-based hubs are key drivers for this growth,” said CM Majhi.

The Chief Minister also held a one-to-one meeting with Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief Fintech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore to discuss innovations in the fintech sector, especially from the perspective of Odisha’s growing economy.

The day ended with a formal discussion with the travelling business delegation from Odisha regarding business-to-business partnerships between Singaporean and Odia firms.

Source: IANS