BHUBANESWAR: Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday said the Centre has agreed to restart the project for upgradation of infrastructure at Angul Aluminum Park. Pradhan thanked Union Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal for accepting his request to restart the project.
“Thank CIM @PiyushGoyal for acceding to my request to re-start the project for up-gradation of infrastructure at Angul Aluminium Park in Odisha. The decision is another testimony of PM @narendramodi’s commitment for the development of Odisha and its people,” Pradhan tweeted.
With renewed focus on ironing out bottlenecks to ensure expeditious completion of the project, the Angul Aluminium Park project, a JV between Nalco and Idco is expected to be completed by July 2020, he added. On completion of the project, which is estimated to cost of Rs 99.6 crore, including a Central grant of Rs 33.44 crore, it will enhance the industrial competitiveness of aluminium industry. It will further develop the mineral sector in Odisha and boost the state’s economy and create job opportunities.
Writing to Goyal on December 3 last year, Pradhan had sought the former’s personal intervention to restart the project which has been hanging fire since 2015.He had also requested to restore Central assistance sanctioned for the proposed aluminum cluster at Angul under the Modified Industrial Infrastructure Up-gradation Scheme (MIIUS).
The apex committee of MIIUS in its meeting held on November 1, 2018, had decided to drop the Angul Aluminium Park project due to slow progress. It had also directed the Angul Aluminium Park Pvt Ltd (AAAPL), the implementing agency, to refund the released Central grant. The State Government had submitted a proposal to the Centre to restore Central assistance sanctioned earlier under MIIUS. Spread over an area of 223 acre, the Angul Aluminium Park was to be the first project in the sub-continent with a facility to directly obtain molten aluminium from the smelter.
Renewed hope
Project estimated to cost of Rs 99.6 crore, including a Central grant of Rs 33.44 crore will enhance the industrial competitiveness of aluminium industry.
Will further develop the mineral sector in Odisha and boost State’s economy and create job opportunities Alex committee of MIIUS in its meeting held on November 1, 2018, had decided to drop the Angul Aluminium Park project due to slow progress.