Bhubaneswar, May 20 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday inaugurated three industrial projects and performed ground-breaking of 10 other projects involving total investment of Rs 1,218 crore.

These projects across food processing, tourism, paper/packaging, manufacturing, and polymers and plastic sectors will create potential employment for over 3,390 persons in the state.

In his remarks on the occasion, the Chief Minister said Odisha is fast emerging as a major manufacturing hub in the country for sectors ranging from metal and minerals to food processing.

"Targeting the development of a conducive environment for industrial development, my government has always endeavored to provide a hassle-free and prompt doing business environment for the investors in Odisha," he said.

The state's relationship with the industries has been fruitful both in the context of economic development and also social development, he said, noting that one of the key reasons why Odisha was able to post a successful fight against the Covid-19 pandemic was this synergetic government-industry relationship.

"We were able to quickly re-purpose various industrial units to manufacture and deliver critical services during the pandemic period. As we move out of the pandemic, the government's focus on 5T philosophy towards the development of the industrial sector has further strengthened."

This philosophy has created an industry-led ecosystem of value addition, sustainable employment generation and revenue augmentation in the state, he added.

Despite the challenges, the state government has ensured that the industries sector keeps functioning at its best, Industries Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra said.

"I am happy to inform you that this is the 7th ground-breaking ceremony we are having since 2020. We have ensured grounding/inauguration of projects worth over Rs 30,000 crore, generating a potential employment of nearly 40,000 in the state in this time period," he added.

The Chief Minister has laid foundation stone for a convention centre in Khurda by Mayfair Hotels & Resorts Ltd at an investment of Rs 300 crore.

Among others, the ground breaking ceremony was held for a grain-based distillery plant in Jharsuguda district (Rs 204.60 crore), a 5-star hotel-cum-luxury resort in Puri (Rs 135.69 crore), a 4-star hotel in Cuttack (Rs 77.04 crore), and an ethanol plant in Sambalpur (Rs 103 crore).