Bhubaneswar, Jan 6 (PTI) Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) has said its chairman Naveen Jindal briefed the Odisha government on the progress made on the company’s plan to expand the capacity of its existing steel plant in Angul.
Odisha’s High-Level Clearance Authority, headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, last year approved the JSPL’s proposal to expand the capacity of its Angul facility from 6 million tonnes per annum to 25.2 mtpa by 2030, when it will become the largest steel plant in the world.
Accompanied by senior officials of the company, Jindal met Chief Secretary SC Mohapatra on Wednesday, the company said in a statement.
“This will be the largest plant in the world in a single location as per present capacities,” Jindal said.
The expansion is expected to increase JSPL’s investment in Odisha to more than Rs 1 lakh crore from Rs 45,000 crore at present.
This would also generate enormous economic activity and employment opportunities in the state, he said.
Jindal expressed his disappointment over the blockades being staged in front of the Kasia mines gate by some people, “instigated by a group of vested interests”.
He urged the chief secretary to break the impasse for the smooth operation of the mine.
JSPL was granted the mining lease of Kasia iron and dolomite block after it became the preferred bidder for the block at a premium of 118.10 per cent in the mineral auction conducted by the state government.
The company alleged that a few vested interests, provoked by some transporters, have blocked entry of people to the mines, preventing starting of operations.
Besides the loss of livelihood to local people, the blockade is also causing revenue loss to the state to the tune of over Rs 15 crore daily. The state exchequer has lost so far more than Rs 500 crore due to this, a company spokesman said. PTI AAM NN NN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.