By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, February 2, 20115 :

Odisha will have second Greenfield steel plant in public sector according to a blue print drawn by the union steel and mine ministry. Besides Odisha, three such steel projects are to come up Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand with a combined production capacity of 20 million tons per annum (MTPA).

The plan for new projects has been envisaged to boost ‘Make in India’ campaign and take the steel production capacity of the country to 300 million tons by 2025 from 80-odd million tons now, according to union steel and mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

Tomar was on a two day visit to Odisha. Speaking to media persons, Tomar on Sunday said, the production capacity of Indian government owned Steel Authority of India Ltd [SAIL] would go up to a 50-MTPA and the capacity of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) would rise to 10.8 MTPA.

Modernisation and expansion projects of RSP and Burnpur Steel Plant are nearing completion and the ongoing capacity expansion work of other SAIL plants would be completed by June which will add to SAIL’s capacity by 23 MTPA, he added.

Tomar also reviewed the progress of RSP and inaugurated the rolling facilities of the new 4300 mm wide state-of-the-art Plate Mill. RSP has made the new integrated steel-making facilities operational under the ongoing modernisation and expansion programme.

The minister further reiterated that the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Ordinance promises greater transparency and removes all discretionary powers of Central and State Governments in allotment of mines.

“Revision of mineral royalty will ensure additional financial benefits of Rs 1,600 crore to Odisha. Increase in mining operations would also remove the present crisis of iron and steel industries”, he added .

On the possibility of CBI probe into illegal mining in Odisha, Tomar said the Centre would scrupulously follow all recommendations of the MB Shah Commission and punishment provisions in illegal mining have been made stringent.

On the issue of SAIL’s earlier proposal to upgrade the RSP-run Ispat General Hospital into Medical College and Hospital (MCH) and super specialty hospital, Tomar said, “SAIL is ready to invest but the State Government should moot a proposal to run it”.