Bhubaneswar/Paradip: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday said he was optimistic that JSW's Rs 65,000 crore integrated steel plant near Paradip would be operationalised by 2029, and asserted that it would set a milestone in the state's industrialisation process.
Majhi attended an event marking the commencement of construction of the 13.2 MTPA integrated steel plant of JSW Utkal Steel Limited at Dhinkia near Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district.
It is the same spot where South Korean steel major POSCO had proposed in 2005 to set a 12 MTPA steel facility at an investment of Rs 52,000 crore, but later scrapped the project due to resistance from the locals and raw material linkage issues.
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"We are optimistic that the steel plant will be inaugurated in 2029 and set a milestone in Odisha's industrialisation process," Majhi said, while addressing a gathering.
He said the proposed integrated steel plant will have an initial capacity of 13.2 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA). The investment in the initial phase is estimated to be Rs 65,000 crore, and it is expected to scaled up to Rs 1,00,000 crore in future phases, Majhi said.
The project will feature JSW's own 900 MW captive power plant, a specialised cement grinding unit, and a dedicated captive jetty near the Paradip Port to streamline shipping.
In an X post, CMO Odisha said, "Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri @MohanMOdisha attended the event marking commencement of construction work for the 13.2 MTPA Integrated Steel Plant of JSW Utkal Steel Limited at Dhinkia near Paradip. The mega industrial project is set to strengthen Odisha's position as a leading manufacturing and investment destination, while creating significant employment and economic opportunities for the people of the state. @InvestInOdisha@PMOIndia."
The chief minister also assured JSW Group chairman Sajjan Jindal and the company in the public meeting that the state government will provide all required support for the grounding and operation of the mega project.
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Odisha's Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain, Jatsinghpur MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai, local MLAs, senior state government officials and JSW group officials were present at the event.
The then chief minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation stone for the integrated steel plant on February 16, 2024, ahead of the general elections.
