By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, May 26, 2015 :

The Narendra Modi government is planning to set up a defence manufacturing unit at Gopalpur in Ganjam district as part of ‘Make in India’ drive, according to union minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The proposed defence production unit will have the Tata group as a partner along with the state and the central governments.

“Steps have been initiated for establishment of a defence manufacturing unit at Gopalpur in Ganjam district as part of ‘Make in India’ drive,” the Petroleum Minister told reporters here.

The Tata group, which has been in possession of 3,000 acres of land at Gopalpur, has been asked to be a partner in the proposed venture which can come up in their area, Pradhan added speaking to reporters here on Tuesday.

He also said Odisha can be a future oil and gas hub of eastern India as about Rs 1 lakh crore is expected to be invested in the hydro-carbon sector in the state in 5-7 years, he said.

The Narendra Modi government also plans to set up an international standard skill development centre of excellence in Bhubaneswar to provide training in hydro-carbon sector, he added

There is a requirement of 136 skills in the hydrocarbon sector starting from exploration to delivery point, Pradhan said, adding that such a skill development centre has huge potential to generate revenue and skilled manpower.

While Indian Oil Corporation Ltd’s (IOCL) refinery at Paradip is on the verge of completion, a petrochemical complex is also coming up at the port town, he said, adding that the work for the first project of the petrochemical complex, a polypropylene unit, has already started.

A strategic reserve of oil will soon come up in Odisha which is being developed at Chandikhole in Jajpur district, Pradhan said, adding that several important pipeline projects are also being taken up through the State.

There is also a proposal for take over of Kalinga Iron Works at Badbil by SAIL, he said.

On a question relating to the contentious issue of disinvestment of aluminium major National Aluminium company Ltd [NALCO], he said no PSU will be allowed to move out of the ownership of the central government despite moves to offload 5 to 10 per cent stakes in some companies including Nalco.

The minister dismissed the allegation that there was a plan to shift the engine division of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited from Sunabeda in Koraput district.
Highlighting the achievements of BJP-led NDA government in its first year in office, Pradhan said in the very first Cabinet meeting it took concrete decision for the retrieval of black money stashed abroad and a special investigation team (SIT) was formed for the purpose.

Asserting that auction of coal mines was being done in a transparent manner, Pradhan said that over Rs 3 lakh crore was raised from auction of only 30 mines.

Stating that a host of social security programmes have been launched, he said around Rs 15,000 crore has been deposited in some 15 crore bank accounts opened through the prime minister’s Jan Dhan scheme. Similarly, over 10 crore people have been covered under two major insurance schemes launched by the prime minister recently, he said.

Asked whether the proposed ESIC medical college project has been dropped, Pradhan said the proposal has only been put on hold and not scrapped.