Indus Valley Times

By A K Sahoo

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 30: Utkal Chambers of Commerce and Industries (UCCI) and many other industry bodies on Tuesday felicitated Mr. Subhrakant Panda, the President-Elect of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at a glittering function here in the city on Tuesday.

Mr Panda, who is the Managing Director of Indian Metal Ferro Alloys Limited (IMFA), said, “It is a matter of pride that I’m going to head the country’s prestigious industry body FICCI as its president. I’m the first Odia in FICCI’s 95 years of history to get elected as the FICCI’s new president. This is not a personal achievement by any means. I repeatedly said that it is a reflection of the collective progress of the state and many of its entrepreneurs present here today,” said Mr Panda.

He added that he would try to live up to the expectation of the people of the state and countrymen.

“At the turn of the present century, Odisha figured at the bottom of the states. Now, it finds itself among the top progressing states. It’s really a matter of pride for all of us. Today, the state is recognized as a great achiever. Its policy of ‘ease of doing business,’ industry-friendly environment, progressive policies and ‘stability of governance’ have led to this progress,” said Mr Panda, adding, Odisha would march on the path of progress and prosperity.

Mayor Sulochana Das, UCCI president Brahma Mishra and many other industry leaders felicitated Mr Panda.