Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said His Government aims investment in Dhenkanal’s mineral resources to make it an industrially-prosperous district.
A proposed integrated steel plant project is an important step in this direction, he said, responding to an ovation by the people from the district. The project is being set up by the Rungta Mines Limited with an investment of Rs 11,000 crore. It is actually an expanded project from the existing 3 million tonnes (MT) to 4.55 MT. The Chief Minister said that by 2030, steel production in the State would reach 100 MT. When he took office in the year 2000, the State was producing only 2 MT of steel, but now it has reached 30 MT, he pointed out.Minister for Mines and Steel Prafulla Mallick said the Rungta project would be a milestone in the development of Dhenkanal district. Among others, local MP Mahesh Sahu, MLA Sudhir Samal and the Chief Minister’s 5-T Secretary VK Pandian were present.