Odisha’s Honourable CM Mohan Charan Majhi, announced on Sunday that a substantial steel manufacturing facility, requiring an investment of approximately ₹40,000 crore, will be a collaborative endeavor between JSW and POSCO, located in Patna within Keonjhar district.
During a speech in Champua, Majhi stated that fulfilling his promise to establish a large-scale steel plant in Keonjhar district was a dream made possible by his appointment as chief minister. He further emphasized that beyond the Patna region, steel industry development would be prioritized across the district, attracting investments surpassing one lakh crore rupees.
At the ‘Utkarsh Odisha-Make in Odisha Conclave’ held on January 28th, JSW, under the direction of Sajjan Jindal, entered into an agreement with Odisha officials to construct a significant steel production facility in Keonjhar, capable of producing five million tonnes annually.
The collaborative venture is enthusiastic about establishing its facility in Keonjhar, a region abundant in iron ore. This agreement between the two prominent steel companies materialized following initial discussions between the founders and a distinguished delegation headed by the chief minister at a recent investors’ conference in Mumbai.
For this project, two potential sites have been pinpointed within the district. The first site, spanning approximately 2,500 acres, is situated near the Odisha Tea Plantation Ltd (OTPL) in the Taramakant region of Banspal. The second site, encompassing 1,956 acres, was previously presented to steel giant ArcelorMittal in Patna.
The OTPL land assessment is finished, and a decision on the optimal location for the new steel plant will be made following an inspection by a senior leadership delegation from the joint venture partners.
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi believes a deal for a major steel facility in Keonjhar is close to completion. This positive outlook comes ahead of the ‘Utkarsh Odisha: Make in Odisha’ summit, set to take place in Bhubaneswar from January 28th to 29th. During interactions with the media, Majhi reiterated his dedication to seeing this project through.
Keonjhar’s abundance of minerals, such as iron, manganese, chromite, and dolomite, was emphasized by Majhi, who underscored the necessity of creating industries to fully utilize this wealth. During his recent trip to the region, he confidently promised the residents of Keonjhar that a steel plant would be operational in the near future.
The Chief Minister, in his address, revealed a financial allocation of Rs 4 crore earmarked for the development of a new three-level structure at Chandra Sekhar College, situated in Champua.
Previously, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj declared a financial allocation of Rs 3.30 crore, earmarked for enhancing the college’s infrastructure and facilities.
On a daytime visit, Majhi officially launched a five-day regional exhibition dedicated to agricultural machinery in Keonjhar, highlighting the crucial role agriculture plays in Odisha’s economy, considering that over 60% of its residents depend on farming and related sectors.