The process of setting up of ancillary and downstream industries in Orissa is expected to get a boost with more and more metal companies evincing interest to establish such complexes in different locations of the state.
After Adhunik Metaliks, Vedanta Aluminium Ltd.(VAL) and Nalco, Bhushan Steel Ltd (BSL) has proposed to the Orissa government for establishing a ‘SME Steel Park’ around its steel project at Meramundali in Dhenkanal district. BSL is setting up a 3 million tonne steel plant at an investment of Rs 5828 crore. It has already attained 0.5 million tonne per annum (mtpa) steel and 1 mtpa sponge iron capacity along with commissioning of a 110 Mw captive power plant (CPP).
The company had signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Orissa government for a 3 mtpa steel plant. Sources said, the company has sought 1000 acres of land for the proposed SME steel park, out of which 200 acres will be earmarked for the local downstream units.
The company will provide raw materials, infrastructure support, assured power supply and marketing support to the units proposed to come up in the steel park. The company, which had submitted an intention letter to the state industries department in this regard, has been asked to submit a combined application form and detail project report (DPR) to the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Orissa Ltd. (Ipicol) like Jindal Stainless and Nalco.
The proposal will be routed through the State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) of the Orissa government. “Bhushan Steel has only submitted an intention letter about the SME Steel park and it has been asked to come through the Single window mechanism”, a senior official associated with the process said.
Sources said, the company has also expressed it interest to set up an airport at Angul in view of a large number of industries coming up in that area. It has sought the assistance of the state government for survey for the airport and acquisition of land for the purpose. However, no formal proposal has been submitted for the airport project, sources added.
It may be noted, Adhunik Metaliks, part of Adhunik group, has also proposed to set up a stainless steel downstream park at Kuarmunda in Sundergarh district. The park will come up over 300 acres of land and will house 100 stainless steel downstream units. The estimated investment of each unit is expected to be Rs 10 crore with the total projected investment pegged at Rs 1000 crore. Similarly, to promote downstream utilization of aluminium, Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) plans to set up an aluminium park at Jharsuguda.
