Mr. Sashi Sekhar Mohanty has more then four decades of experience in steel industry. He has worked in various capacities and played a key role in expanding industries he lead. Currently he is the CEO and Managing Director, Essar Minmet Limited. He was also Chairman, CII Odisha State Council in 2023-24. In an interview Mr. Mohanty spoke about the industrialization scenario of Odisha. Excerpts:
 Question: Is there proper infrastructure in the state in favour of industrialisation?
 While there is huge development in the infrastructure, there are lots of gap in first mile and last mile connectivity. The pace of this should improve.
There is a need of air connectivity between the state capital and the industrial areas of the state. Many outside industrial groups have industries in the state. It takes a lot of time for their senior officers to reach & travel to their industrial site and return after finishing their work. Who has so much time to give?
While we are a power surplus state, the distribution network for industrial purpose should spread further.
Sometimes due to lack of infrastructure the process of setting up industries in the state is not completed in the scheduled time. For example—there are no big enterprises in our fabrication industry. As a result, inordinate delays take place in the matter of fabrication work at the time of establishment of new units of the big industries. In this way this is waste of time and money.
Industrialists are also in need of fintech companies for the purpose of financial support and capital. Many such companies exist in the industrially developed states of the country. But there are no such companies in our Odisha. Industrialists of our state are unable to easily avail of loan or capital from the open market in our state if they so desire. Such a problem could have been solved had there been our own fintech companies.
Question: There are many big industrial groups in the country. Isn’t Odisha’s position unenviable from that point of view?
 Many big industrial groups of the country have set up projects in the state. But we need to have our own industrialist generations. As we witness Tata, Birla, Adani industrial groups at the national level, likewise we should have our own Mohanty, Patnaik, Mishra, Sahu etc. Industrial groups in pan India and global level in plenty. Then only can we proudly call Odia industrialists/ businessmen are world class and that will continue to next generation.
Question: What is to be done for this?
 First, we have set up food industries. An attraction towards industries has to be created among our new generations. Both people and the government have a duty in this direction. The tendency towards being service holders is high among we Odias. Parents want their children to get into jobs for the sake of steady income. There is need for a change in such a mindset. We should have a mindset to give jobs instead to being a job seeker/ holder. This is the first thing. The entrepreneurship can be a curriculum in the school and colleges in Odisha.
The second thing is also linked to it. There is need for a strong ecosystem to help industrialists in every possible field. It will not suffice just to formulate superior or high-quality industrial policies; there is a need to ensure that entrepreneurs get the benefits also. The government has to come forward for this purpose. Whenever industries face problems, how these can be quickly solved is also the responsibility of the government. When parents will realise that the ecosystem is cooperating with the industrialists in every possible way, they will also encourage their children to set up industries and become self-dependent rather than run after jobs. On seeing the change of scenario, young entrepreneurs will also express interest.
Question: So you say that industrialisation will go up if the government cooperates?
That is once aspect. If the government cooperates, the young generation will certainly show interest in industrialisation. But should we only wait for the government’s cooperation? Government’s work is confined to formulating policies, developing the infrastructure, given subsides, scotching red-tapism, etc. Even though the government does all these, if industrial-mindset is not created within us, can the government forcibly compel anyone to set up an industry?
That is why I have said earlier that it is the work of both the parties. WE have to move two steps forward, while the government will also have to move two steps forward. The industrial ecosystem of Odisha needs to be strengthened.
In many segments, there is an absence of giant companies in our state. In some areas, our state’s presence is not all satisfactory. For example, the automobile sector. It will not be wrong to say that there is no automobile industry at all in the state.
A large number of large industries should be established in the state. When large industries will come, ancillary industries will automatically be set up in the nearby area. Consequently, employment opportunities will be created widely. Simultaneously industrial production of the estate will also increase. With the cooperation of large industries, the ancillary industries will carry on production. The big industries will buy up such produce. At the time of the establishment of the steel plant at Rourkela such ancillary industries came up. Even now, the lion’s share of production of these industries is purchased by RSP for meeting its own needs. Rourkela could become an industrial city due to a giant project like RSP. This city and the industrial areas in its vicinity have become a medium of livelihood for thousands of people. That is going to happen in Kalinga Nager, Jharsuguda, Paradeep and other areas.
Question: What should be done for the sale of the produce of the industries?
This is quite an important issue. In reality, the higher the sale of the produce of an industry in the local area, the higher its profitability. The higher the demand of its produce in the local area, the better it is for the company, as the transportation cost will be reduced. At least 30% of every Company’s purchases & sales should also be conscious for this propose. If local company can produce products having the same quality as is found in products imported by distributors from the outside market, then why shall the distributors depend on the outside market? If they purchase products having the same quality at a lower price. This will be beneficial for all. It is good if a balance is always maintained between production, transportation and consumption.
Question: What is your advice for the new generation entrepreneurs?
New generation entrepreneurs are the persons who will lead India to the developed country from developing status. The speed of decision making is the essence in today’s world. Risk assessment and spirit of innovation are two qualities that the new generation entrepreneurs should adopt.
This interview was previously published in the printed directory of 100 Industries in Odisha, by the Maruti Media in association with the Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ltd.
