Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik to meet Pope Francis during 11-day foreign trip

Naveen Patnaik

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will begin an 11-day trip abroad on Monday during which he will meet Pope Francis in Vatican City and potential investors in Dubai, a statement said on Saturday. Patnaik left for Delhi during the day with a delegation for his second official foreign trip during his 22-year-long rule.

"In response to an invitation by the World Food Programme (WFP), the chief minister will lead a delegation to the organisation's headquarters in Rome and share transformative initiatives of Odisha in the field of food security and disaster management. "He will also meet WFP Director David Beasley and other senior office-bearers of the organisation and have detailed discussions on partnership between the Odisha government and the body and future projects to ensure food security in a sustainable manner," a statement issued by the chief minister's office said.

During the chief minister's stay in Rome, he will meet Pope Francis in Vatican City, it said. Patnaik will meet the Odia diaspora from various parts of Europe, and discuss ways to engage it in promoting Odisha's art and culture and also be part of the state's transformational journey, the statement said.

On his way back from Italy, Patnaik will meet potential investors from across West Asia in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. He will invite them for investing in Odisha, assuring them of all support from the state government, it said. He will also have one-on-one meetings with some big investors in the region.

Patnaik is scheduled to return to Odisha on June 30 evening. The delegation includes Chief Secretary Suresh Mohapatra, Secretary to chief minister (5T) V K Pandian, Principal Secretary Food and Civil Supplies V V Yadav, Principal Secretary Industries Hemant Sharma, and Resident Commissioner in New Delhi Ravi Kant.