Chairman of Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) Naveen Jindal met State Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra here on Wednesday and discussed the progress on the expansion of the JSPL’s Angul steel plant to 25.2 MTPA-capacity.
When completed by 2030 as scheduled, this will be the world’s largest steel plant in a single location as per the present capacities. This is expected to increase the JSPL’s investment in Odisha to over ₹1,00,000 crore from present ₹ 45,000 crore.
However, Jindal expressed his disappointment over the blockades being staged in front of the Kasia Mines gate by a few people instigated by a group of vested interests. He urged the Chief Secretary to break the impasse for smooth operation of the mines.
The vested interests, provoked by some transporters, have blocked entry to the mines. They have also resorted to violence and hurt at least a couple of personnel besides violating Covid protocols. Besides the loss of livelihood to local people, the blockade is also causing revenue loss to the State Government to the tune of over ₹ 15 crore daily. The State exchequer has so far lost over ₹500 crore.