Bhubaneswar: Steps have been taken for setting up Odisha’s second largest steel plant in Keonjhar district in a joint venture between South Korea’s POSCO and JSW Steel, one of India’s leading steelmakers.
The mega steel plant will come up in Patna area of Keonjhar, the home district of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
Members of a number of social outfits and citizens’ forums from Keonjhar met the Chief Minister at the State Guest House in Bhubaneswar on Thursday and thanked him for the initiative taken by the state government for setting up of the steel plant in the mineral-rich district.
Two MLAs from Keonjhar district – Akhil Naik (Patna) and Fakir Naik (Telkoi) – also thanked the CM for his personal efforts for establishment of the mega steel plant.
“The people of Keonjhar have been pressing for the establishment of a steel plant in the district for last many years. The previous governments in Odisha failed to take any step in this regard. But, present government in Odisha and the Centre have taken proactive steps for setting up of a steel plant in Keonjhar,” Majhi said.
With the establishment of the steel plant, Patna area of Keonjhar will be developed as a mega city like Rourkela, he added.
It may be noted that JSW Steel and POSCO Group have recently signed a non-binding Heads of Agreement (HoA) to jointly explore the establishment of a six million tonnes per annum (MTPA) integrated steel plant in India.
