Adani reviews projects in Jharkhand, Bihar
Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Sunday visited project sites in Jharkhand and Bihar, reviewing major power investments to the tune of over Rs 40,000 crore, which underscore the conglomerate’s expanding presence in eastern India. At tribal-dominated Godda in Jharkhand, Adani reviewed operations at the 1,600 megawatt (MW) ultra-supercritical thermal power plant, built at an investment of over Rs 16,000 crore, a company spokesperson said. The plant supplies electricity under a long-term agreement exclusively to Bangladesh, giving the project cross-border economic significance, he said.
The facility claims to have generated thousands of direct and indirect jobs, and strengthened rail connectivity in the region.In neighbouring Bihar, Adani reviewed progress of the group’s planned 2,400 MW ultra-supercritical power project at Pirpainti near Bhagalpur, which entails an investment of over Rs 27,000 crore.
It is expected to be commissioned over the next four to five years. The project is aimed at supporting rising industrial and urban demand in the state, the spokesperson said. Adani Power (APL), the counry’s largest private sector thermal power generator, in August last year received a Letter of Award (LoA) for a 25-year, long-term procurement of electricity from the Bihar State Power Generation Company Ltd (BSPGCL).
The projects position the Adani Group among the largest private sector infrastructure investors in Jharkhand and Bihar, states that have historically attracted limited large-scale industrial capital despite abundant natural resources, officials said. During the visit, Adani interacted with engineers, technicians and frontline workers at the Godda facility, and also met tribal women from nearby communities.
Earlier in the day, Adani paid obeisance at the Baba Baidyanath temple in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district. He arrived in the temple town amid tight security and proceeded directly to the sanctum sanctorum to perform rituals at the ‘jyotirlinga’. A team of priests assisted the industrialist in the rituals, which included offerings of bel leaves, sacred water, and chanting of Vedic mantras.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the temple, Adani said he prayed for the prosperity and well-being of the nation. “It was a long-pending desire to pray at Babadham,” he said. Baidyanath Dham, located in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district, is one of the most significant pilgrimage destinations in eastern India that witnesses lakhs of devotees, especially during the holy month of ‘Shravan’. Gautam Adani speaks to media after visiting Baba Baidyanath Temple, Deoghar on Sunday.
