The decision of ArcelorMittal to pull out from its Odisha steel project has been termed by senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik as a reflection of the “hollowness of the industrial policy pursued by the Naveen Patnaik Government”.
This is the largest withdrawal of foreign direct investment (FDI) in India amounting to nearly Rs 50,000 crore and has serious implications for the economy of the State and the nation, he has stated, expressing anguish over the lost opportunity to the State as well as to the people of Keonjhar, where the project was to come up. He rapped the Government for indulging in a blame game with the ArcelorMittal.
The people of Keonjhar have been cheated once again and feel betrayed by the lack of sincerity of the State Government in giving Keonjhar a major industry, he said.
Patnaik said the main thrust of the BJD government’s industrial policy was supposed to be value-addition of the State’s mineral resources, which they have tried to achieve in mainly two ways. Firstly, mine owners were told that their leases would not be renewed unless they agree to value
addition. Secondly, record numbers of MoUs were signed for setting up industries.
While signing the MoUs there was no due diligence and companies were assured land, mining lease and administrative support. The MoU-signing was a big photo opportunity to project to Odisha and the country that investors were running to the State because the BJD Government is investor-friendly, progressive and efficient.
The Chief Minister claimed to make value addition his focus, but during his rule the State has exported the maximum quantity of minerals in the State’s history, much of it completely unaccounted for. “The decade 2001-2011 was Odisha’s best opportunity to industrialise, create jobs and take the State out of the tag of being the poorest in the country. Ten years is a long time in a favourable economic environment to turn around the State. But the State failed to take advantage of the opportunity,” said Patnaik.
Keonjhar district contributes all the minerals, but it has no major industry to employ its youths. The transport sector has been in peril. What has the BJD Government done to compensate Keonjhar proportionately during the mining boom and the consequent environmental degradation, he asked.
After promising a medical college in Keonjhar for a decade, the foundation-stone was laid just a few months before elections. “I welcome the decision to set up a medical college, but would it not be wise to name the hospital after an icon from Keonjhar like Ratnakar Bhuyan or Dharanidhar BhuyanIJ When will we stop naming every project in Odisha after Biju PatnaikIJ” he asked.