Bhubaneswar, Apr 2 : Odisha has emerged as the leading investment destination with over Rs 4.4 lakh crore investment intent during the last three years, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Saturday Inaugurating the second edition of the Business Eminence award organised by Odia daily Dharitri and its sister publication English daily “Orissa Post”, Patnaik said the Industries in Odisha have made massive progress while the economy of the state has grown more than the national average notwithstanding the covid pandemic, Patnaik said Odisha had registered a growth of 10.1 percent against the national average growth of 8.8 percent.The state,he said, would continue to be the most preferred investment destination of the country. He said the Tourism and hospitality sector has huge potential to generate employment and the government has chalked out plans to boost tourism. Odisha Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra said the last two years passed fighting covid, the biggest disaster in the century.He said the worst is over adding the state is now growing much higher than the national average. Odisha , the Chief Secretary said has formulated several progressive policies during the last two years adding the government would take up more developmental projects and formulate more policies in the coming days. Jindal Steel and Power Chairman Naveen Jindal said the company would set up the world’s largest and greenest steel plant in Odisha.The company, he said, has bagged the Utkal B1 and B 2 coal blocks in Angul Talcher coal belt and would build the largest steel plant at Angul by 2030. The company, Jindal said, is now operating a 6 MTPA Integrated steel plant at Angul comprising India’s largest 4.25 MTPA blast furnace. The capacity of the plant would be expanded to 25.32 MTPA by 2030. Editor of the Dharitri and Orissa Post Tathagat Satpathy said Orissa Post completed 11 years of its publication on Friday. He said both the papers are continuously trying to present the voice of the people without fear and favour and the effort is on to broaden the page. Satpathy said the Business Eminence award is being given to recognise the brilliant entrepreneurs of the state. As many as 38 entrepreneurs of the state who have made a mark in their respective field were felicitated on the occasion. BD DP