BHUBANESWAR: Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal on Thursday said that work on the proposed 3 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Dhenkanal district will start in the next three to four months if the required land along with necessary statutory clearances is granted within that period.
After a meeting with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at Lok Seva Bhawan, Agarwal told mediapersons that his company plans to invest Rs 1 lakh crore on the smelter plant which will generate employment for around 40,000 people. “This will be one of the largest smelters in the world. If things go as per plan, we will be able to complete the Dhenkanal project within three or three-and-half years' time," he said.
According to the office of the chief minister, Vedanta has also agreed to establish an ultra-modern ferro-alloys plant in Keonjhar district with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore. This will enhance Odisha's standing in the global metal value chain, the CMO said.
The Vedanta Group will also set up two new aluminium parks -- one near its aluminium plant at Jharsuguda while the other will come up at a site to be identified by the state government. These state-of-the-art parks will produce high-grade aluminium alloys suitable for use in aerospace, electric vehicles and defence sectors. This will attract large-scale downstream investments and significantly boost the MSME sector in the state.
As per the CMO, Majhi lauded the company's approach to Odisha and stated these initiatives will not only accelerate economic growth but also create vast opportunities for the youth, empower people and set the ground for Odisha to become a $500 billion economy by 2036. “This massive investment will be a game-changer for the bright future of Odisha,” the CM added.
Vedanta had earlier also submitted a proposal to the state government to set up a 6 million tonne per annum alumina refinery plant in Rayagada district. The Sijimali mine will meet the bauxite need of the new refinery.
On environmental and forest clearance to the Sijimali bauxite mine, the Vedanta chief said the chief minister has assured all assistance for conduct of the public hearing which will be held soon. The central government has temporarily halted the forest land diversion for the mine following concerns over tribal rights and complaints from local communities.
Responding to a query on the vexed Vedanta University project at Puri, Agarwal said, "Many states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are keen to grab the project but my heart is in Odisha. We want to set up a university of international standards in Odisha. It is for the state government to select a suitable site. Any location other than Puri is acceptable."
He said, “The chief minister insisted on the university in Odisha with assurance of all possible assistance. I have not seen a chief minister like him, who is so progressive in thinking.”
