: Jena
Bhubaneswar, Oct 19/ Updated Oct. 20 : Odisha has ambitious plans to become a 100-million-ton steel-making state by the end of this decade, State Chief Secretary P K Jena said here on Thursday.
Addressing the National Level CII Mining and Construction Equipment Summit here, Jena said many major players in the aluminium industry have set up units in the state.
These developments will lead to increased mining activities, making it imperative for all stakeholders to prioritize sustainable and environmentally friendly mining practices.
The Chief Secretary said over the past three years, the state has seen a significant increase in mining revenue. Last year the mining revenue increased from Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 49,000 crore, he said.
Union Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Anurag Jain called for the urgency of the policy to mitigate the cost and advocate for establishing Research and Development Centres in India.
Odisha Principal Secretary of Industry Hemanta Sharma said Odisha ranks 2nd in the country in attracting investment of Rs 20.1 lakh crore in FY’23 and 3rd in attracting bank-assisted investment proposals in the same period of time.
Odisha, he said produces 13.8 percent of the total value of mineral production in the country while the mining & metallurgy sector contributes more than 13 percent to the GSDP of the state.
Steel manufacturing in the state will increase to 138 MMT in 2030 from the current capacity of 34 MMT, Sharma said, adding that the Aluminium production capacity tends to grow to 3.84 MMT in 2030 from the current capacity of 2.64 MMT.
Odisha Additional Chief Secretary, Steel & Mines, D K Singh suggested the mining stakeholders to use the efficient infrastructure promoting eco-friendly mining.
CII Eastern Region Chairman Shiv Siddhant Narayan Kaul acknowledged the joint efforts of the Government of Odisha, CII, and industries in removing regional bottlenecks to facilitate investment.
He emphasized the need to not only focus on “Make in India” but also on global exports and also highlighted the competitive advantage of skilled labour with low labour costs in Odisha.
Chairman of CII MCED Vivek Bhatia said the global mining and construction industry, was valued at $121 billion in 2021, with the Asia-Pacific region contributing $62 billion.
He pointed out the sector’s potential to reach $190 billion by 2028, with a growth rate of 2.8 percent per year.
Bhatia underlined the sector’s role in realizing India’s vision of a 5 trillion-dollar economy and the employment opportunities it provides, with 3.5 million people currently employed in the mining sector.
In the Eastern part of India, seven states significantly contribute to mineral production, with Odisha leading the way at 42 percent, followed by Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand with 17 percent and 4.3 percent respectively.
