Mineral rich Orissa lapped up about 30 per cent of over Rs 3,00,000 crore investments lined up by India Inc in the first three months of 2008, according to a study by industry body Assocham.

"Orissa topped the chart claiming almost 30 per cent of the total investments announced during the last quarter of 2007-08 totaling to Rs 3,25,285 crore," a study named 'Statewise Investment' said.

India Inc lined up investment plans of about Rs 92,035 crore in Orissa during Jan-Mar 2008, with Rs 45,000 crore flowing to steel sector alone, it added.

According to the study, Orissa is followed by West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh with the capital expenditure of about Rs 67,361 crore and Rs 58,226 crore respectively.

The mineral rich states are attracting huge investments in sectors such as oil and gas, steel and power, Assocham President Sajjan Jindal said in a statement in New Delhi.

Major players like Vedanta Resources, Tata Steel, Mesco Steel and Bhushan Steel intend to invest about Rs 45,000 crore to install steel plants with aggregate capacity of 18.5 million tonnes in Orissa.

Vedanta Group and Cals Refineries intends to invest about Rs 20,000 crore in the sectors like metals, oil and gas in West Bengal, the study said.

The study further said that Assam was the only north-eastern state to have any prominent investment announced over the three months ending March 2008.

The power sector in Assam is expected to receive capital outlay of about Rs 4,375 crore and the power major NTPC was the key investor disclosing its plans to invest in the state, it added.