In another major landmark for industrial development and job creation, the Government of Odisha has approved eight mega industrial projects, involving a capital of over Rs. 1.51 lakh crore. This scintillating decision stemmed from a High-Level Clearance Authority meeting, chaired by the Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Majhi, on Monday. It is expected to create over 62,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities in diversified sectors.
The projects approved are in six districts: Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Khurda, and Sambalpur, involving key sectors such as aluminum, chemicals, steel, textiles, and ancillary and downstream metal industries.
This diversified approach intends to further enhance the status of Odisha as a leading industrial and investment hub in India, supporting the national vision of 'Viksit Bharat by 2047' with that state's vision of 'Samruddha Odisha by 2036.'
Among the biggest approvals is Vedanta Limited's gargantuan Rs. 1.28 lakh crore investment for a 3-MTPA aluminum smelter and a 4,900-MW captive power plant at Dhenkanal. The singular project alone stands to provide employment for 30,000 people.
With SRF Limited's intent to establish a specialty chemicals and refrigerants manufacturing unit in Ganjam, the chemicals sector would have turned out to be a roaring majority. This Rs. 10,000 crore project, having an annual capacity of 2 lakh MT will give rise to about 20,000 job opportunities.
In the steel and downstream metal sectors, Jindal India Steel Tech Limited will invest Rs. 3,600 crore in establishing a 1.26-MTPA specialty steel processing plant at Dhenkanal, generating 2,000 jobs.
Shyam Steel Manufacturing Limited intends to set up a 0.53 MTPA integrated steel plant, DI pipe unit, and 46 MW CPP at Keonjhar, with a total outlay of Rs. 2,490 crore and providing employment to around 2,370 people.
A good push to textiles was also helped by Sportking India Limited's plans to invest Rs. 2,055 crore at Khurda. This money will be spent on setting up a cotton and blended yarn manufacturing unit with an annual production capacity of 62,000 MT, creating around 4,800 direct jobs.
Other projects worth mentioning include those of funds worth Rs. 1,303.50 crore invested by Linde India Limited for setting up an Air Separation Unit at Jajpur that will produce high-quality industrial gases and create employment for 100 persons.
In the area of ancillary metals, Star Metal Works Private Limited will pour in an investment of Rs. 2,291 crore in Sambalpur for the narrow hot strip mill, cold rolling mill, and plate-cum-Steckel mill and create 250 jobs.
Supreme Metals Export Pvt. Ltd. will also make a rolling mill for TMT bars and wire rods of 1.2 million tonnes capacity in Keonjhar, investing Rs. 1,500 crore and creating 680 jobs.
The Chief Minister said that since June last year, there have been six HLCA meetings, and as a result, a total of 62 projects have been approved. Considering the cumulative initiatives, these projects bring forth significant investment opportunities.
Specifically, they account for Rs. 5.67 lakh crore. This investment has the potential to create around 242,000 jobs across the state. This shows the government's aggressive approach and readiness to develop an enabling environment for industrial growth and prosperity.