The Odisha government signed eight key Memorandums of Understanding with organizations in Singapore with involvement in fields ranging from skill development to renewable energy and development of industrial parks which are expected to further fortify bilateral relations even as this propels growth within the state. During the visit of President of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam to the World Skill Centre at Bhubaneswar, a few such MoUs were signed by Chief Minister of Odisha Mohan Charan Majhi in their presence.
Bilateral relations with Singapore
The key signatories to the MoU are Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Deputy Chief Ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, and other guests. After the ink was put on the paper, President Shanmugaratnam’s delegation met with the Odisha government for a bilateral discussion. Building on the discussions kept on in the strengthening of collaboration in these critical sectors was to be an expression of growing potential of Odisha as an innovation hub and a development state.
President Shanmugaratnam appreciated and welcomed the approach of Odisha towards dedicated skill development and technology advancement. This visit marks a milestone in Odisha-Singapore relations since it emphasizes sectors promising long-term benefits for the state.
Signature MoUs
During the visit, eight MoUs were signed by Odisha with Singapore-based organisations. These cover the following sectors:
Skill Development & Technical Education: The Skill Development and Technical Education department of Odisha has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ITE Education Services of Singapore. This is with the objective to enhance the state’s ecosystem in technical and vocational education and training. It opens up new courses on hospitality, logistics, digital animation, marine engineering, applications of AI, and renewable energy, among many others. This is an attempt at preparing and equipping the workforce of Odisha to meet the needs of the future labor market.
Renewable Energy & Research: The third MoU signed among IIT Bhubaneswar, GRIDCO Limited, and Nanyang Technological University will take ahead the researches on renewable energy like hydrogen production, energy storage systems, and microgrid. In coordination with all this, it will help in making Odisha shift towards green energy solutions which will contribute much to India’s sustainability goals.
Green Hydrogen: MoUs also signed are from Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL) along with Sembcorp Green Hydrogen India Private Limited (SGHIPL), regarding the setting up of the green hydrogen production unit in the state, the most important one is it will allow Odisha help meet the rising demand of the state with respect to clean energy.
Industrial Park Development: The Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation has executed a memorandum of agreement with the Sembcorp Development from Singapore, in order to take up the feasibility study of the concept related to developing an industrial park in the industrial belts of Odisha. This may help hasten the process of growth for the industry and investment in that region.
IT & Electronics: An MoU has been signed between Odisha’s Electronics & IT department and Singapore-based Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) for setting up an InsureTech Hub Global Capabilities Centre. This would make Odisha better equipped in the increasingly significant area of FinTech and InsurTech.
City Planning: Memorandum of agreement signed with Bhubaneswar Development Authority, BDA for designing a new development plan to propose near the state capital, the city of Bhubaneswar, in order to maintain growth in this particular city on sustainability and its futuristic development.
Petrochemical & Petroleum Investment: IDCO has also partnered with Surbana Jurong to offer consultancy for designing in the Odisha Petro Chemical and Petroleum Investment Region (PCPIR). This is a critical collaboration that can place Odisha at a prime location of the petrochemical industry.
Innovations and Skills in Odisha: Reflecting on the infrastructure development of Odisha, innovation encouragement, and attracting foreign investments, the MoUs focus on the efforts done by the state in the context of skill development, renewable energy, and new technologies, which have been identified as areas with bright futures in the economy of the state.
The visit of the President of Singapore and signing of MoU has made Odisha commit towards becoming a vital player in domestic as well as international markets. Investment in education, research, and technology will enhance industrial capabilities and throw open seas of job opportunities in the state.
Conclusion
The signing of the MoU between organizations of Odisha and Singapore would be a gigantic leap towards creating future-ready Odisha. Initiatives in skill development, renewable energy, growth in industrial parks, and IT development will lead Odisha to monumental growth. Global investments in the state would now be easy; technological development could be advanced further, and this would enable developing a workforce skilled for the future.
These MoUs shall herald a high-flyer day in the infrastructural development and global connectivity of Odisha, catapulting the state into a position of a front-runner investment destination in India.
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