Opposition corner Odisha govt over speculation of ArcelorMittal-Nippon Steel shifting proposed steel plant to Andhra Pradesh, Minister Sampad Swain clarifies; Watch
Bhubaneswar: The opposition parties –Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress- have cornered the BJP government in Odisha over speculation of Japan’s ArcelorMittal-Nippon Steel shifting its proposed steel plant to Andhra Pradesh.
It is to be noted here that Nippon Steel Corp President Eiji Hashimoto had told former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik in April 2023 that his company’s sole intention was to build the largest & latest steel plant in Odisha with 30-MTPA steel production capacity.
However, now doubts looming large over the future of the steel plant in Odisha as several national media reports have started to claim that ArcelorMittal-Nippon Steel is going to set up a steel plant with a capacity of 24 million metric tonnes per annum at Nakkapalle in Anakapalle district of Andhra Pradesh with an investment of Rs 1.5 lakh crore.
Anakapalli MP C.M Ramesh also has informed about the development through his social media account saying that delegates of the ArcelorMittal-Nippon Steel met Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh a month ago and held a discussion with him in this regard.
Meanwhile, BJD came down heavily on the State BJP government saying that it will be a huge loss for Odisha if the reports on Arcelor Nippon company leaving the State is true. “If the reports of Arcelor Nippon company shifting to Andhra Pradesh is true, then it will be a great loss for Odisha. It seems that the investors and industries are now hopeless after the formation of the new government. It would have been the single-largest investment of the country and the investment opportunity of Odisha would have been a subject of discussion globally,” said senior BJD leader Pratap Keshari Deb.
Adding to Jena, another conch leader Pratap Jena said, “The investor has to trust the government if he is investing in the State. But none of the investor is able to trust the Odisha BJP government. The investors are moving out of Odisha because they are not able to trust the BJP government as they used to trust former CM Naveen Patnaik.”
Joining Deb and Jena, legislature party leader of Congress Rama Chandra Kadam said, “If the previous government had decided for the steel plant, the present government should give importance to it. If the ArcelorMittal-Nippon Steel is shifting to Andhra Pradesh from Kendrapara, then it will be considered that there is some weakness of the Odisha government.”
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and Odisha Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain clarified that the proposed steel plant will not move out from Kendrapara. “The leaders of Biju Janata Dal are misleading the people of Odisha. There is no any possibility of ArcelorMittal leaving the State,” the Minister said while speaking to the media persons.
“Either you all know or not, we have already held review meetings twice with the officials of the company and around 200 Indian and Japanese employees of the company are working in Odisha to accelerate the project. But the BJD leaders are misleading the people with their self-imaginary stories,” alleged Sampad.
