The State government on Wednesday entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) for supply of iron ore to the Kadapa steel plant.
The MoU was signed by NDMC Director (Commercial) Alok Kumar Mehta and A.P. High Grade Steel Limited Chairman and Managing Director P. Madhusudhan, in the presence of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, during his visit to the State in the first week of November, had responded positively to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s request for supply of iron ore from the NMDC to the proposed steel plant. Mr. Pradhan had also directed the officials to have an MoU signed between the State government and the NMDC.
Subsequently, the State Cabinet approved the proposal to construct the steel plant in Kadapa. Land to the extent of 3,000 acres had been identified in Jammalamadugu mandal for the purpose.
Foundation stone for the project will be laid on December 26.
TDP initiative
Former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu too had laid stone for the Kadapa steel plant in December 2018. His government, however, planned to construct it at Kambaladinne village of Mylavaram mandal in Kadapa district. The TDP government had expected that the ₹18,000-crore project would generate direct and indirect employment to about 1 lakh people.
The project is one of the promises made to the residuary State of Andhra Pradesh at the time of its bifurcation in 2014.
