Odisha Opposition Congress and BJP on Thursday slammed the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government for its “faulty industrial policy” which led to ArcelorMittal’s withdrawal from its mega steel project in the State.
“Mittal’s withdrawal from the project exposes Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s lack of sincerity to make the State industrially developed,” said Pradesh Congress Committee president Jaydev Jena.
“The Chief Minister misled the people by inviting major steel companies like ArcelorMittal and Posco,” Jena said. While ArcelorMittal has already announced scrapping of its project, Posco has been waiting for the last eight years to set up its plant, he pointed out.
The BJP, terming ArcelorMittal’s withdrawal as a major setback for the State, said the company withdrew its project at a time when there is a need for massive investments in the State.
Naveen Patnaik should learn from his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi on how to make a State industrially developed, said BJP State spokesperson Sajjan Sharma.
“It is unfortunate that the Government makes false claims of bringing crores of investment to the State to wipe out unemployment and strengthen its economy,” Sharma said, adding that no other major company would now like to invest in Odisha.
The scrapping of ArcelorMittal’s Rs 50,000-crore project has exposed a total policy failure of the State Government, alleged State BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma. The news has brought humiliation to the State in the national arena, he said, adding that the fate of the Posco project of Rs 52,000 crore is already in the lurch.