ArcelorMittal’s Executive Chairman Laxmi Mittal Holds Meeting With Naveen In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Executive Chairman of ArcelorMittal Lakshmi N Mittal held a meeting with chief minister Naveen Patnaik, here on Saturday.

The meeting that took place at the chief minister’s residence lasted for more than one hour. Though the details of the meeting have not been revealed, sources said the two discussed the steel major’s proposed 12 MTPA steel plant with an investment of more than Rs 50,000 crore in Kendrapada district.

Before the meeting, Mittal visited the proposed plant site and the Paradip port.

On March 4, the Odisha government and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Limited (AM/NS) signed an MoU for setting up an integrated steel complex in Mahakalapada of Kendrapada in the presence of the chief minister and Mittal at Lokseva Bhavan.

The company had indicated its intent to set up greenfield steel operations in 2005 and 2006 when it had inked MoUs with Jharkhand and Odisha for setting up 12-MT steel plant in each state. But it withdrew from the agreement following lack of clearance on land and supply of raw material.

The company owns iron blocks at Thakurani and Ghoraburhani-Sagasahi of Odisha.