BHUBANESWAR : The phase-II expansion of Tata Steel’s Kalinganagar plant, which will raise its steel making capacity from 3 MTPA to 8 MTPA, is all set to be commissioned soon, making Odisha the largest investment destination for the company.
Tata Steel has invested Rs 27,000 crore in phase-II expansion of the plant. The increased capacity of Kalinganagar plant will play an important role in its ambition to achieve the target of 40 MTPA capacity in India by 2030, stated the company in a release issued on Monday.
Tata Steel completed the first phase of Kalinganagar plant in 2015 with an investment of Rs 25,000 crore and further ramped up its capacity in Odisha through the acquisition of Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd (NINL) in 2022 with an additional investment of Rs 12,100 crore. Along with the Meramandali (formerly Bhushan Steel Limited) plant in the Dhenkanal district, Tata Steel’s total investment in Odisha today stands at over Rs 1,00,000 crore.
The company aims to double the capacity of the Kalinganagar plant to 16 MTPA in the coming years, which will further strengthen Odisha’s role in its growth journey.
The steel major also has significant presence in Odisha’s industrial landscape through the development of projects like Gopalpur Industrial Park (GIP), developed by Tata Steel Special Economic Zone Limited (TSSEZL). The GIP located in the Ganjam district has been established with an investment of Rs 730 crore.
Tata Steel’s growth in Odisha is supported by expansions in iron ore mines, development of infrastructure projects like the Subarnarekha port in Balasore district and implementation of slurry pipelines for the transportation of iron ore fines.
Besides, the company has also invested significantly in community development programmes focusing on education, health care, and livelihood opportunities for the local population. It has implemented various initiatives benefiting over 2 lakh people in the state. The skill development programmes have trained over 10,000 youth, it added.
Vice-president, corporate services, Chanakya Chaudhary said abundance of mineral wealth and other natural resources, combined with the large pool of skilled workforce and investor-friendly policy environment has provided significant support for Tata Steel’s ongoing growth and investments in the state. “Through our continued commitment, we are helping shape a future-ready Odisha, fostering innovation, sustainability, and progress,” he said.