Bhubaneswar: Odisha Industries minister Sampad Chandra Swain Monday said ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AM/NS) was “not shifting” its proposed mega steel plant from the state.
The minister accused the opposition BJD of misleading the people by alleging that the AM/NS was shifting its proposed project from Odisha.
Speaking to the media persons in Bhubaneswar, Swain said “The leaders of BJD are misleading the people of Odisha. ArcelorMittal is a major steel manufacturing company not only in India but in the world. The company has several steel plants in various countries and it will establish more plants in future as well.”
The minister stated that the BJD leaders were tight-lipped when the company, in their term, set up a mega steel plant in Gujarat’s Hazira after the signing of MoU with Odisha.
“There is no probability of the company moving out of Odisha. We have already held review meetings twice with the officials of the company. Around 200 Indian and Japanese employees of the company are working on the project in Odisha. It is also true that the previous government didn’t take any initiatives on the project in the last two years,” added Swain.
The minister stated that work on the project is speeding up after the BJP government came to power in the state.
Swain also added that Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has recently held a discussion with the top company officials in Mumbai.
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Swain told the media persons that the company is imparting skill training to as many as 60 diploma holders from the Marshaghai block of Kendrapara district where the steel plant is proposed to be established.
He also asserted that the industries which had left Odisha during the tenure of the previous BJD government are now evincing interest to set up their units in the state.
Earlier, BJD leader Pratap Jena alleged that the Arcelor Nippon company is leaving Odisha due to the “incompetent government” in the state.
Jena had said the former CM Naveen Patnaik himself held discussions with the chairman of Nippon Steel in Japan and ensured the company set up one of the largest steel plants in the Kendrapara district of Odisha. He also said that it is unfortunate that the company is moving out of Odisha to Andhra Pradesh.
Meanwhile, the company in a statement on Monday said, “ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) continues to explore accelerated growth opportunities as it aims to scale its production capacity. We are engaging with some state governments to evaluate possibilities that align with our business synergies and long-term strategic goals. It does not change our existing project plans.”
A senior executive of AM/NS India on Monday said that the company has no such intention to drop the 24 MTPA steel plant planned in Odisha’s Kendrapara district.
The company official said that AM/NS India has been exploring investment opportunities as various locations to further expand its business.
He said required formalities for the Kendrapara project are in different levels of government approvals.
PNN & Agencies