Tata Steel to set up domestic tariff zone in Odisha's Gopalpur

The steel major is developing an industrial park there, where it is the anchor tenant

Tata Steel has submitted a proposal to the Odisha government to establish a domestic tariff area (DTA) at Gopalpur on the Southern coast. The steel company is developing an industrial park there where it is the anchor tenant. It has a special economic zone (SEZ) notified the facility in the park spread over 500 hectares (or 1,250 acres) land. The entire park is being developed on 2,900 acres of land.

"We are keen to set up a DTA at Gopalpur, which needs 1,565 acres of land. The DTA will help us expanding our scope for pulling investments. This area is meant for attracting domestic investors across sectors as opposed to SEZ, which is more export oriented. The DTA will enable the domestic investors to put up their facilities and enjoy incentives provided by the state government for industrial parks", said Arun Misra, vice-president of Tata Steel's Gopalpur project and managing director at Tata Steel SEZ Ltd (TTSL).

The company wants the land proposed for the DTA to be registered in the name of TTSL, a Tata Steel subsidiary, as has been done by the state government for the SEZ. DTA means an area within the country outside of a SEZ. It can include any area which is not under the jurisdiction of a custom bonded area.

A government official said, "Tata Steel is coming up with a domestic tariff area (DTA) adjacent to its SEZ at Gopalpur. It will be helpful for the domestic industrial units to thrive. With state government taking big steps to attract the investments with mouthwatering policy incentives, the DTA will be an icing on the cake."

As the anchor tenant for the industrial park, Tata Steel has put up a ferrochrome plant with an annual capacity of 55,000 tonne per annum. The plant built up at a cost of Rs 542 crore, was inaugurated on November 30 this year by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Other than Tata Steel, the park has drawn one investment. Mumbai-based Sure Safety Solutions Ltd in collaboration with UK's Meggitt Defence has started operations of the aerial target manufacturing facility at the Gopalpur park.

Tata Steel has been intensifying efforts to lure investors for the industrial park which has the potential to attract investments of the order of Rs 20,000 crore. The steel company has staged roadshows in both overseas and domestic locations to pull investors. It is also believed to be in talks with some foreign companies for investments in heavy industries at the Gopalpur SEZ.