Odisha aluminium producers should make optimum use of its capacity to meet national demand, says Vedanta CEO

In a recent interview with Orissa POST, Chhavi Nath Singh, CEO of Vedanta Limited, Jharsugda, called attention to Odisha’s mining potentials while speaking about the company’s role and vision for the state in 2020.

He said the industries must strive for self-reliance in sectors where the states have natural advantages. For instance, in the case of aluminium, Odisha boasts of having high-quality raw materials like bauxite and coal. If these opportunities are not encashed, the state will remain a deficit economy. By this he meant, Odisha, which houses India’s major primary aluminium producers, should utilise the capacities to cater to more than the current 40 per cent of the national demand, instead of importing in abundance.

He even noted that Odisha has stable governance and civic life, strong academia contributing to a deep talent pool, long coastline providing access to international trade, and so on that can positively contribute to the growth of the aluminium industry.

“However, I feel there are two things that, if addressed, can help realise the true potential of the state. First, sustainable mining of the natural resources that are abundantly available in the state. If Odisha’s mining ecosystem is supported by the right policies, required infrastructure, faster clearances, and good transport connectivity among others, it can not only benefit the state immensely but can also bring about a positive socio-economic transformation in the lives of the communities whose livelihoods are intricately woven in and around mining. Secondly, Odisha based industries which are hubs to commercial activities in the state should be given a priority allocation over the state’s resources,” added Chhavi.

Lastly, he concluded by saying that Jharsugda is the largest aluminium producer in the country, which at the end of FY19 produced 1.39 million tonnes, out of Vedanta’s total aluminium business output of 1.96 million tonnes. Jharsuguda is also a proud exporter of more than 1 million tonnes of primary aluminium to all over the world annually, said Chhavi.