BHUBANESWAR: In a big push to industrialisation post ‘Make-in-Odisha’ conclave, the State Government is developing infrastructure in Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts which are emerging as new industrial corridor attracting large scale investment.
Secretary of Industries Department, Sanjeev Chopra said if things go as per plan, the corridor would become one of the most industrialised region of the country given the fact that it is served by two major ports at Paradip and Dhamra along the Bay of Bengal.
“There is no other place in the country where two big ports are available within a distance of only 50 nautical miles from each other. Both the ports are in the process of augmenting their cargo handling capacity with deeper draft,” he said.
While Paradip port is to touch 300 million tonne per annum, Chopra said, Dhamra port will also increase its annual capacity to 100 MTPA by 2020. The present draft of 18 metre of the ports are expected to go up to 22 metre in next three years.
Comprehensive plans have been made to promote industrialisation in Khurda, Cuttack, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts in two phases, three in each phase. It is expected to get a boost with a Coastal Economic Zone (CEZs) coming up in Dhamra and Paradip belt which is one of the 14 CEZs approved under national perspective of Sagarmala programme in the country and one among first three to be developed.
Odisha is also covered by the National Waterway-5, which is most commercially feasible inland waterway as it will connect coal belt of Talcher. Besides the Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) at Paradip, National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) is coming up at Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur.
The Industries Secretary said, while PCPIR and NIMZ are at the advanced stage, identification of land patches are on for the CEZ. “The Centre has asked for 15 sq km of contiguous land. As it was not feasible alone in Dhamra, we decided to include Paradip. Once developed, this CEZ would be a hub of petrochemicals, marine products and plastics,” he said.
Admitting that land has been a major problem in Odisha for which many projects faced hurdles in past, Chopra was of the opinion that the State needs to develop a new model or a mechanism for land acquisition to get the projects done.
Investment plans
■ Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts attracting large scale investment
■ The corridor is served by two major ports at Paradip and Dhamra along the Bay of Bengal
■ Both ports in the process of augmenting their cargo handling capacity with deeper draft
■ Odisha covered by National Waterway-5, which is most commercially feasible inland waterway as it will connect coal belt of Talcher