Report by OD bureau, Bhubaneswar: Consul General of France in Kolkotta Fabrice Sebastien Etienne meets Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Thursday. After meeting Chief Minister Naeen Patnaik here today CG Etienne said France was interested to develop business ties with Odisha. 

Etienne said France interested to invest in IT sanitation, urban infrastrcture development, transport, water management and education food processing and in tourism sector in Odisha. He however, said his government was not interested in the development of mining sector and extraction of minerals.

He said the state attracts 60,000 foreign tourists mostly from Western countries every year and France wanted to invest in the sector. The Consul General said the French government would provide soft loan for the development of the state.