Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, said he cannot accept raw materials being exported while finished products are shipped into the country, asserting that value addition must occur.
Inaugurating the 'Utkarsh Odisha, Make in Odisha Conclave' in Bhubaneswar, Modi stated that he considers eastern India to be the growth engine of the country, with the state playing an important role in it. He added that this is the time, the "right time," to invest in the state.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the business summit at Janata Maidan in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati.
Around 7,500 delegates, including some top industrialists, are expected to attend the two-day conclave, a statement said.
Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal, Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, and Jindal Steel and Power chairman Naveen Jindal were present at the inauguration. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were also present.
"The country's development is not possible by merely exporting raw materials. Therefore, we are changing the entire ecosystem and working with a new vision," said PM Modi.
"The minerals are extracted here and exported to other countries, where value is added and new products are made. These finished products are then sent back to India. This trend is not acceptable to Modi," he added.
The Prime Minister stated that the aspirations of millions of people are driving India's movement on the path of development.
"Today, India is moving on a path of development driven by the aspirations of millions of people. This is an era of AI, and everyone is talking about it. However, the aspiration of India—rather than just AI—is the power of our country. Aspiration grows when the needs of the people are fulfilled. In the last decade, the country has witnessed the benefit of empowering millions of people. Odisha represents the same aspiration," he said.
"Odisha is outstanding and represents the originality and optimism of new India. Odisha has opportunities, and the people of Odisha have exhibited the spirit of outperforming," he added.
Modi mentioned that ASEAN countries have shown interest in strengthening trade ties with Odisha.
"I consider eastern India to be the growth engine of the country, with Odisha playing a crucial role. History shows that during times when India significantly contributed to global growth, eastern India also made important contributions," he said.
"I am confident that Odisha will very soon reach heights of development that no one has ever imagined. I am happy that the entire team of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is committed to accelerating the state's development," he concluded.
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