Hindalco Industries, the leading Indian aluminium manufacturing company, is set to establish a two million tonnes per annum (MTPA) alumina refinery plant in the Rayagada district of Odisha. In this context, the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hindalco Industries to provide a long-term supply of raw materials for the alumina refinery project located in Kansariguda, Rayagada district.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Balwant Singh (Managing Director of OMC), and Satish Pai (Managing Director of Hindalco). This agreement is expected to expedite and facilitate the progress of the two-million-ton alumina refinery in Rayagada, as announced by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Notably, this marks Hindalco's second refinery project in the Rayagada district, with its Utkal Alumina Industries Limited (UAIL), boasting a production capacity of 1.5 MTPA, already in operation at Baphlimali.
The Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, while speaking on the occasion, said, “Today marks a significant milestone in the journey of Odisha’s industrial growth and development.”
“Odisha is poised to become an industrial hub of the East, and this is not just our ambition but our mission,” he said.
His invitation to everyone was to be part of this exciting journey. He called upon all, “Let’s co-create a future where business and socio-economic growth go hand in hand, making Odisha a shining example for the world.”
The CM called upon the residents of the Rayagada district to extend their full support to the refinery project.
“In June 2023, the Government of Odisha came up with a new Long-Term Linkage Policy of Minerals for Industries, facilitated through the Odisha Mining Corporation Limited. This policy was a commitment to foster an environment where industries can thrive, innovate, and contribute to the state’s socio-economic fabric. This MoU exemplifies our unwavering dedication to making Odisha a magnet for industrial investments,” he added.
The chief minister highlighted that the alumina refinery of Aditya Aluminum Limited in Kansariguda is a brand-new project with an investment of INR 8,000 Crore. The venture is set to generate 1,000 direct employment opportunities and 4,000 indirect jobs. This exemplifies the transformative impact of the industrial sector.
He expressed gratitude to the Aditya Birla Group for their faith in Odisha's potential and for collaborating with the state in this journey.
Pratap Dev, the Minister for Industries & MSME, stressed the significance of community involvement in the industrial sector. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Odisha is dedicated to the development of tribal communities in resource-rich regions. He underscored the importance of inclusivity in the process of industrialization.
During the signing ceremony of the MoU on the virtual platform, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, said, "Odisha is witnessing rapid industrialization under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Odisha has made remarkable progress in several fields through several decades of development. The Odisha-Hindalco partnership is a symbiotic success story that is an exemplar of holistic development. The Utkal Alumina plant generated thousands of new jobs and impacted lakhs of people in hundreds of villages through community development initiatives."
"The second refinery plant will follow the same development model, seeding more opportunities in livelihoods and cascading more socio-economic development."
The event was attended by VK Pandian, the Secretary of the Chief Minister (5T); Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary of Industries; P.K. Jena, Chief Secretary; Anu Garg, Development Commissioner, along with senior officials from the State Government and representatives from Hindalco Industries.
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