TNI Bureau: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the blast furnace construction of JSW Steel’s mega integrated steel plant at Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district, marking the beginning of Odisha’s largest-ever industrial investment project worth ₹1.25 lakh crore. The Chief Minister said the project would help transform Odisha into the “Steel Capital” of India and significantly change the industrial landscape of Paradip.
The mega steel plant, coming up in the Erasama region near Dhinkia, will be developed in two phases with a total annual steel production capacity of 24 million tonnes. The project will also include a 12 MTPA cement plant, a 900 MW captive power plant and a dedicated jetty.
Speaking at the event, Majhi assured all necessary government support for speedy implementation of the project. Criticising the previous government over delays, he said the project had remained pending for nearly two decades and only symbolic groundwork had been done earlier. He stated that after the formation of the “double-engine government”, the project was shifted to fast-track mode and guaranteed that steel production would begin by 2028.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the government’s fast execution model by referring to the Trimetro Garments project in Khordha, where production started within a year of the foundation laying ceremony.
CM announced that Odisha and Japan’s Tottori prefecture would soon sign a “Sister States” agreement to boost cooperation in industry, tourism and education. He also informed that Japan-based JFE Steel is already associated with a ₹30,000 crore project in Jharsuguda and that new steel plants would soon come up in Dhenkanal and Keonjhar districts.
Highlighting the state government’s industrial achievements, the Chief Minister said 433 projects worth ₹8.5 lakh crore had been approved in the last two years, creating employment opportunities for more than five lakh people. He said 148 projects have already completed ground-breaking ceremonies, generating jobs for around 2.37 lakh youths.
Majhi further said the government had attracted investment proposals worth over ₹2 lakh crore through outreach visits to Hyderabad, Kolkata and Gujarat. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s support and the “Yahi Samay Hai, Sahi Samay Hai” vision for increasing investor confidence in Odisha.
Focusing on Paradip’s transformation, the Chief Minister spoke about a “Two-Coast Strategy” inspired by Gujarat’s Mundra Port model. Under the Centre’s “Purvodaya” vision, Paradip, Dhamra and Gopalpur ports are expected to become major economic growth centres, with Paradip leading the development.
He also announced plans for a cruise terminal and a mega shipbuilding complex at Paradip in addition to the existing Indian Oil refinery and petrochemical complex. The Centre has also sanctioned ₹5,000 crore for the Paradip-Cuttack-Bhubaneswar-Puri Economic Corridor (BCPPER), which is expected to make Paradip a major economic gateway and generate over one lakh jobs in the coming years.
Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain described the occasion as a historic moment for Paradip and Jagatsinghpur district. He said the project would fulfil the long-standing aspirations of local people and create large-scale employment opportunities for local youth while accelerating Odisha’s industrial growth.
The event was attended by Jagatsinghpur MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai, Balikuda-Erasama MLA Sarada Prasanna Jena, Jagatsinghpur MLA Amarendra Das, Industries Department ACS Hemant Sharma, Jagatsinghpur Collector J. Sonal, JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal, JSW CEO Jayant Acharya and JSW President Anil Kumar Singh, among others.
