Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday hailed the MoU signed with the Adani Group and International Holding Company (IHC) of Abu Dhabi for a Rs 1.10 lakh crore mega aluminium project as a historic step towards realising its vision of ‘Samruddha Odisha 2036.’
Majhi was speaking on the occasion of the pact signed by the state’s industrial promotion agency, IPICOL with the Adani Group and IHC in Bhubaneswar.
Describing the MoU as a milestone in the state’s industrial journey, the Chief Minister said the project would accelerate Odisha’s transformation into a prosperous, modern, inclusive and industrially advanced state while generating large-scale employment and promoting sustainable industrial growth.
Stating that efforts to build a prosperous, modern, inclusive and industrially advanced Odisha by 2036 are progressing successfully, he said this partnership combines Odisha’s rich natural resources and skilled workforce with the capital and technology of the Middle East, paving the way for long-term economic growth.
The proposed project, involving an investment of approximately $11.5 billion, will include bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting, captive power generation, downstream aluminium manufacturing and supporting infrastructure.
The project is expected to create around 35,000 jobs during construction and 18,500 jobs after commissioning, generating more than 53,500 direct and indirect employment opportunities, said Majhi.
The government’s focus is on maximising value addition to Odisha’s mineral resources rather than exporting raw materials, he said, adding that the key objective is to create employment opportunities for Odisha’s youth through industrialisation and value-added manufacturing.
Highlighting the growing global emphasis on environmentally sustainable industries, the CM said the project would strengthen Odisha’s position in the emerging green metals sector. “The world is moving towards green metals and eco-friendly industrialisation. Odisha is preparing to play a leading role in this transition, and this project will significantly contribute to that goal,” he said.
The state government remains committed to achieving the twin visions of ‘Samruddha Odisha 2036’ and ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, with plans to develop Odisha into one of India’s leading industrial hubs by its centenary year, Majhi said.
Besides the aluminium project, he said Odisha and IHC Group would explore cooperation in research and development (R&D), metallurgy, digital systems and Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
The Chief Minister said the state would provide land, water, power, logistics and all required approvals in a coordinated and time-bound manner to ensure successful implementation of the project.
Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, IHC Group Managing Director and CEO Syed Basar Shueb, International Resources Holding (IRH) CEO Ali Al-Rashdi, senior executives from IHC Group, and top state government officials attended the event.
