Odisha attracted only Rs 39 crore FDI in FY 2024-25, claims BJD

Bhubaneswar, Dec 20 (PTI) Opposition BJD on Saturday alleged that Odisha has attracted only around Rs 39 crore as foreign direct investment in the 2024-25 financial year, even though the BJP government's claims of transforming the state into the nation's FDI hub.

BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty levelled the allegation a day after the state government issued a statement claiming that it has garnered investment intents of Rs 67,000 crore in a meet held in Hyderabad on December 18 and 19.

"While addressing the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi spoke about the BJP government's commitment to transform Odisha into the leading FDI hub of India. However, actual data from the central government reveals a very different picture. The state does not even figure among the top 10 or 20 Indian states in attracting FDI," Mohanty told reporters.

Quoting official data, Mohanty said, "During financial year 2024-25, India received total FDI of Rs 4,21,928.83 crore, out of which Odisha's share was only Rs 39.02 crore, merely 0.009 per cent of the country." Maharashtra led the country with FDI inflows of Rs 1,64,875.20 crore (39.16 per cent of the national total).

He claimed that the top seven states were Maharashtra, Karnataka (Rs 56,029 crore), Delhi (Rs 51,540 crore), Gujarat (Rs 47,947 crore), Tamil Nadu (Rs 31,102 crore), Haryana (Rs 26,599 crore), and Telangana (Rs 25,599 crore).

Mohanty also alleged that this was not the first time the BJP state government has made such exaggerated claims about large-scale investment, which in reality were far from the truth.

These statements are made only for publicity, but none of the claimed investments ever materialise on the ground, he alleged.

The BJD leader also alleged that some major projects have actually exited Odisha, including JSW EV, Arcelor Mittal Steel, S Ram N Ram Semiconductor, and the Wari Solar Project.

"The BJP government has failed to demonstrate the level of effort, discussion, planning, and coordination required to attract foreign investment," he alleged.

Mohanty also claimed that during the previous BJD government, Odisha recorded the highest inflow of investment in the 2023-24 fiscal.

He said the previous Naveen Patnaik-led government had identified specific sectors for FDI and successfully attracted foreign investors in various areas.

The state government was yet to react to the BJD's claim. PTI AAM AAM ACD