Political News: Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Nov 4: Amid allegations from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) claiming that Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel is relocating its proposed Odisha project to Andhra Pradesh, the company reaffirmed on Monday that it remains committed to establishing a 24 MTPA steel plant in Kendrapada. A senior official from Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel India stated that the company is actively pursuing investment opportunities in various locations to expand its business, and the proposed project in Odisha is firmly in the pipeline.
The official emphasized that the establishment process for the Kendrapada project is ongoing, with required formalities progressing through various levels of government approvals. In addition to the Kendrapada project, the company is also planning to set up a significant steel plant in Paradip.
This clarification follows BJD allegations suggesting that AM/NS is moving operations to Andhra Pradesh. Senior BJD leader Pratap Jena previously claimed that former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had engaged with Nippon’s chairman in Japan to secure the Kendrapada plant, but now the project appears to be shifting, which he deemed unfortunate.
Industries Minister Sampad Swain strongly refuted Jena’s claims, accusing BJD leaders of misleading the public. He reminded that Arcelor Mittal is a major investor with steel plants across India and other countries, and when the memorandum of understanding was signed with Odisha, the company had already established a plant in Gujarat.
