TOI reported that of the two steel majors ArcelorMittal and Monnet Energy & Ispat Limited which have planned to set up steel plants in different areas of Bokaro, MIEL will possibly be the first one to set up its plant.

As per report, MIEL, which started buying land for its steel plant several months after ArcelorMittal, is now ahead in the race of acquiring land.

ArcelorMittal has announced that it will set up a 12 million tonne steel plant in phases in Armo village under Kasmar-Petarwar blocks while MIEL is coming with 2.5 million tonne steel plant in Kumhri under Chandankyari block.

However, both the companies started land acquisition process in 2010 and opened their offices in respective areas. While ArcelorMittal have purchased around 2.32 acres in Armo and MIEL has acquired around 15 acres in Kumhri. At present, both the companies have withheld land purchasing process as they first want to get the lands verified by the government to escape hurdles in future.

According to officials, a survey is being conducted for about 1000 acres of lands for MIEL in Kumhri and Dumardah villages. It will be completed by end of this month. But it is difficult for them to say anything about ArcelorMittal’s' plans related to purchasing of the land as the situation has turned unfavorable following an announcement made by its officials about the package and benefits given to the land owners against selling of their land. This led to an increase in the number of beneficiaries on the land surveyed by the company.

A senior officer of the land revenue department said that "The rayyats (land owners) started selling chunks of land to their kin to share the benefits, especially job, which was assured by ArcelorMittal to be provided to them against their land.”

Preferring anonymity, an ArcelorMittal official said they had talks with the government in this regard and are looking at new ways to get the land. The company is planning to ask government to acquire land for them though it will take some time to begin the land acquisition process again.

Meanwhile, MIEL VP corporate affairs and administration Mr Murari Sharan said verification related to land is being done by the settlement office in Dhanbad, which will be completed by September end.

According to sources, land records have been brought from Patna for verification and if all goes well and the government shows green light over the status of land, they will start buying from October. The state government and the administration are providing their support in the process.

(Sourced from TOI)