Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on Saturday approved a proposal for the establishment of an Integrated Automotive, Aerospace and Defence Equipment-Components Manufacturing Complex in Dhenkanal district.

The proposal, presented by the Industries Department, envisages setting up the manufacturing complex by the Kalyani Group over 1,100 acres at Gajamara in Dhenkanal. The project will be developed under the special provisions of the Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR) 2022.

In addition to the specialty steel project of Kalyani Steels Ltd, the integrated complex will include a super alloy project by Saarloha Advanced Materials Pvt Ltd and an industrial components casting and forging unit of Bharat Forge.

Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the proposed complex has been envisioned as an integrated industrial cluster comprising multiple production units along with dedicated vendor parks. The cluster aims to build downstream value chains in titanium, specialty steel, auto components, and aerospace and defence manufacturing.

The integrated complex, covering projects by Kalyani Steels Ltd, Saarloha Advanced Materials Pvt Ltd, and Bharat Forge and its subsidiaries, entails a total investment of approximately ₹17,250 crore.

The project is expected to generate over 4,800 direct jobs and around 5,500 indirect jobs during the construction and operational phases. Total employment is projected to exceed 20,000 in the coming years as vendor parks and ancillary ecosystems expand.

Meanwhile, the State Cabinet approved a total of 12 proposals from 10 departments during the meeting.