KADAPA: Establishing Kadapa Steel Plant (KSP) would gradually change the face of YSR district, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy asserted as he performed Bhoomi Puja for the plant, along with JSW Group chairman Sajjan Jindal, at Sunnapurallapalle village on Wednesday.
Explaining that more industries like green hydrogen and solar pumps manufacturing units were expected to come up in the region in the near future, he pointed out that 75 per cent jobs in the industry would be given to locals as per the law enacted by the State.
Elaborating, Jagan said the 3D model green Steel Plant will be constructed with an outlay of Rs 8,800 crore in two phases. The government, too, has allotted Rs 700 crore to provide infrastructure like roads, water and power supply to the steel plant, which would help in the development of surrounding areas, he added.
The plant, coming up on 3,500-acre leased land, will provide direct and indirect employment to 25,000 people.The first phase of the Steel Plant, constructed with Rs 3,300 crore, will have an annual production capacity of 10 lakh metric tonnes.It will be commissioned in 24 to 30 months.
With remaining Rs 5,500 crore, the production capacity of the plant will be increased to 20 lakh metric tonnes under the second phase.The Chief Minister thanked Sajjan Jindal for coming forward to establish the green steel plant and providing a boost to development in the region that he said had been neglected for several years after the demise of his father and former chief minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy.
Jagan opined that despite its shortcomings, the region will march ahead with the JSW Group, which has so far invested Rs 1.7 lakh crore world over.The Chief Minister said, “As ancillary units gradually come up in areas surrounding various steel plants, we hope Kadapa will also develop as a steel city like Vijayanagara in Karnataka and Visakhapatnam.”
Reiterating that Andhra Pradesh has achieved first rank in the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) index, besides achieving a growth rate of 11.43% in financial year 2021-22, Jagan pointed out that it is becoming the fastest State in the country. “This speaks volumes of our commitment for the development of industries,” he added.“Jagananna Industrial Hub will attract investments worth Rs 18,000 crore in the near future and will create jobs for thousands of people,” said the CM.
‘KSP will become a futuristic world-class steel plant’
JSW Group CMD Sajjan Jindal hailed the leadership of Jagan and asserted that the KSP would be the greenest steel plant in the world and fuel growth in the region in the days to come.“While touring the country and meeting several Chief Ministers, I found everyone talking of the leadership of Jagan and AP. Andhra Pradesh has been the fastest growing State in the past three years under Jagan’s dynamic leadership. The Chief Minister is transforming the State with better administration and digitalisation for improvement of the lives of the people,” he expressed.
Describing the plant as the long-cherished dream of the people of AP and Kadapa, he explained, “KSP will run on green fuel and become a futuristic world-class steel plant. Though it will begin as a small one, it will grow in course of time like the other steel plants established by JSW and cater to all-round development of the surrounding areas.”
Sajjan Jindal opined that YSR would become the steel district of India in the future. Trained people who have worked at JSW steel plants in Karnataka, Odisha and Gujarat will work in KSP, he said.Describing former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy as a legendary leader, he said, “I always felt comfortable whenever I was in his company.”
Quoting his father OP Jindal, Sajjan Jindal said when an industry is established, the surrounding areas should also be developed catering to the growth and betterment of people’s lives. “KSP will be the source of pride for all those helping sustainability and growth go hand in hand.”