BHUBANESWAR: With Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan leading a high-level Japanese delegation to strengthen the steel sector in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday proposed an exclusive Japan Industrial Cluster near the Capital City for which the State Government will provide all facilitation. The issue cropped up during CM’s meeting with the high-level delegation including Japanese Ambassador to India Satoshi Suzuki at Lok Seba Bhavan here to discuss development of steel cluster and the prospects of Japanese investment in steel and downstream industries in Odisha.The Chief Minister requested the Ambassador to consider Japan to be the partner country for the Make-In-Odisha Conclave-2020.
Naveen said, Odisha now is the highest producer of steel in India and its strong base of steel making provides huge opportunity for ancillary and downstream industry. Stating that the Odisha Government is now focusing on achieving at least 50 per cent value addition to the sector by 2030, he proposed Japanese investment in automobiles, food processing, chemicals and petro chemical sectors.The Union Minister who has taken lead to bring Japanese technology support to the State said, after Arcellor Mittal’s takeover of Essar Steel, Nippon steel and JFE-JFW have associated with this project.
Two steel giants of Japan - Nippon and JFE - will invest in Odisha in a big way. The target is to make Japan an associate in ‘Purvodaya’ which aims to drive accelerated development of Eastern India through establishment of integrated steel hubs for which Odisha has the best potential, Pradhan added.Japanese investments and technology flow into Odisha will strengthen steel sector, generate large scale employment and create win-win situation for all stakeholders. “Kalinganagar will be developed as the epicentre of Mission Purvodaya. Working together with the Odisha Government, Central Ministries and industry, we aim to make Kalinganagar a vibrant hotspot of global steel industry,” he tweeted after the meeting.
Pradhan leads Japan team, Naveen offers cluster
Pradhan had invited Suzuki to Odisha to explore opportunities in the steel sector seeking Japan to be a partner country in Mission Purvodaya which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s big dream for Eastern India. Stating that Odisha is well-poised to be the heart of this eastern steel hub, Pradhan said, Japanese technological expertise and investments will further strengthen the steel sector in the State and drive socio-economic growth.
“More than 75% of India’s envisioned incremental steel capacity will come from eastern India with Odisha alone crossing 100 MTPA. There is immense scope for growth in high grade steel, downstream sector, ancillaries, capital goods and cluster development,” he informed. Rasika Chaubey, Additional Secretary, Steel, Union Government, gave a presentation on the Purvodaya. Official sources said the eastern belt has the potential to add more than 75 per cent of the country’s incremental steel capacity envisioned by the National Steel Policy. It is expected that out of 300 MT capacity by 2030-31, over 200 MT can come from this region alone. Minister for Steel and Mines Prafulla Mallick, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy and senior officials of the Union Steel Ministry and State Government attended.