CCI-PMG review meeting on mega industrial projects in Odisha begins

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Nov 26:

A meeting of the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) and senior officials of the Odisha government began today at the State Secretariat here to jointly take stock of mega industrial projects in the state.

The CCI-PMG team, led by V P Joy, joint secretary, Cabinet secretariat and  top state government officials are jointly reviewing projects in sectors like steel, railways, coal mining to help overcome bottlenecks.

The Posco India proposed 12 million tonne steel project is likely to be the main focus of today’s discussions. With both the Central and state governments committed to push the mega steel project forward, the issues impeding its progress are lined up for talks.

Posco, the South Korean steel major which had originally proposed 12 million tonne plant near Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district, had later redesigned its project, intending to set up eight million tonne steel mill in the first phase.

The steel plant which needs 4004 acres at its full capacity, now requires 2700 acres land for the Phase-I capacity of eight mtpa.

Out of the 2700 acres already acquired by IDCO, 1700 acres has been handed over to the company while the transfer of the remaining 1000 acres is pending as Posco is yet to clear land cost dues worth Rs 54 crore and NPV (net present value) dues amounting to Rs 18 crore for diversion of forest land.

The Central government is yet to approve grant of prospecting license (PL) over Khandadhar iron ore deposits to Posco despite the fact that the state government has submitted its compliance to the clarification sought by the Mines ministry.

The Rs 60,000 crore ambitious coal-to-liquid (CTL) project, which Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) shelved on Monday, also figures on the agenda.

JSPL has shelved the project since it lost the Ramchandi promotional coal block allocated for the project after a Supreme Court order in August.

In the power sector, the 4000 MW ultra mega power project (UMPP) coming up at Bhedabahal will be reviewed along with coal based power projects proposed by Lanco Babandh Power Ltd, Monnet Power, KVK Nilachal Power Ltd and SMC Power Generation Ltd.

Also slated for review are the product pipelines of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd- Paradip-Haldia-Barauni and Paradip-Raipur-Ranchi.

Also to figure in today’s agenda is the key crucial rail link projects like Jharsuguda-Rengali, Talcher-Bimlagarh and Angul-Sukinda.