Press Trust of India reported that admitting local opposition to land acquisition for mega projects, the Odisha Government on Monday said it was optimistic about establishment of ArcelorMittal’s proposed 12 million tonne per annum steel plant in Keonjhar district in a peaceful manner.

State Steel and Mines Minister, Mr Raghunath Mohanty told reporters that “The Odisha Government has been supporting industries to set up units. Though there is opposition to land acquisition by local people, we have been undertaking industrialization in a peaceful manner. ArcelorMittal has given commitment to set up its plant in the State.”

Reacting to the statement of ArcelorMittal chief, Mr Lakshmi Mittal in London, he said that “ArcelorMittal had so far invested over INR 70 crore in its Odisha project and was keen to set up its proposed 12 million tonne per annum steel plant in Keonjhar district.”

Stating that opposition to land acquisition had been a phenomenon across the globe, Mr Mohanty said gram sabha meetings for ArcelorMittal’s project had been completed at seven of the 15 villages under Patana Tehsil area of Keonjhar.

Mr Mohanty said that the company had already applied for extension of its memorandum of understanding with the State Government which lapsed last year.

Mr Mohanty said that ArcelorMittal, which signed an MoU with the State Government on December 21st 2006 for five years, had never said it would drop its proposal.

He said that “The company’s India chief, Mr S Mishra had already given a written assurance to the State Government reiterating ArcelorMittal’s commitment to set up a steel plant.”

Though the company proposed to invest INR 40,000 crore in its proposed mega steel plant in 8,000 acres in Keonjhar, it has been unable to acquire any land.

Source - Business Line

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