By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Industries, Energy & MSME Minister Shri Pratap Deb on Thursday said that the partnership of the people is essential for industries. Under the vision of the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Odisha is committed to developing tribal people in mines-rich areas. Inclusivity is a must in industrialization, he emphasized.
Minister Deb was speaking at function, where Odisha Mining Corporation signed an MoU with Hindalco Industries for providing long-term raw material linkage for its project at Kansariguda in Rayagada district in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik.
OMC MD Balwant Singh and Hindalco MD Satish Pai signed the agreement for their respective organizations. The deal will facilitate and speed up the work for a two-million-tonne alumina refinery in Rayagada.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said today marks a significant milestone in the journey of Odisha’s industrial growth and development.
He further said that Odisha is poised to become an Industrial Hub of the East, and this is not just our ambition but our mission. He invited everyone to be a part of this exciting journey. Then he called upon all, “Let’s co-create a future where business and socio-economic growth go hand in hand, making Odisha a shining example for the world.”
He appealed to the people of Rayagada to support the refinery project so that work could start soon and make visible changes in the lives of local people.
In June 2023, the CM continued, the Government of Odisha came up with a new Long-Term Linkage Policy of Minerals for Industries, facilitated through the Odisha Mining Corporation Limited. This policy was a commitment to foster an environment where industries can thrive, innovate, and contribute to the state’s socio-economic fabric. He added that this MoU exemplifies our unwavering dedication to making Odisha a magnet for industrial investments.
He outlined that the Alumina Refinery of Aditya Aluminum Limited at Kanshariguda is a green field project with an investment of Rs 8 Thousand Crore. The project will create one thousand direct jobs and four thousand indirect employment opportunities. This is the transformative power of industry. He thanked the Aditya Birla Group for believing in the potential of Odisha and partnering with us in this journey.
Joining the MoU signing ceremony on a virtual platform, the Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, Shri Kumar Mangalam Birla, said that Odisha is witnessing rapid industrialization under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik. Odisha has made remarkable progress in several fields through several decades of development. The Odisha-Hindalco partnership is a symbiotic success story that is an exemplar of holistic development. The Utkal Alumina plant generated thousands of new jobs and impacted lakhs of people in hundreds of villages through community development initiatives.
He further said the second refinery will follow the same development model, seeding more livelihood opportunities and cascading more socio-economic development. He thanked the people and the Government of Odisha.
Besides, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, State’s Industry, Energy and MSME Minister Pratap Keshari Deb, Chief Secretary PK Jena, Development Commissioner Anu Garg , ACS Energy NK Dhal, 5T Secretary VK Pandian, Industry Secretary Hemant Sharma , Steel and Mines Secretary and Chairman OMC, DK Singh, Finance Secretary Vishal Dev OMC MD Balwant Singh and others were among those present.
