New Delhi: After Karnataka, the steel giant ArcelorMittal has set its eyes on the mineral-rich Chhattisgarh for setting up a steel plant.
This comes in the wake of the company facing problems in
acquiring land and regulatory hurdles to give shape to its
proposed Rs 1-lakh crore projects in Jharkhand and Orissa.
"Yes, they have. We will welcome and act as a facilitator
for every investor (company) in the state," Chhattisgarh Chief
Minister Raman Singh told a news agency when asked if ArcelorMittal has approached his government with a mega investment plan.
Late last week, the billionaire LN Mittal-led company
had approached Karnataka for setting up a Rs 30,000-crore
steel plant.
The company also confirmed that it is in talks with other
states for additional sites. "While, we remain committed to our
proposed projects in Orissa and Jharkhand. ArcelorMittal is in
dialogue with other states for additional sites. We will be
happy to share more information on specific initiatives as and
when they materialise," an ArcelorMittal spokesperson said.
The spokesperson, however, refused to divulge details on
the quantum of investment or the plant capacity.
However, both these proposals are in addition to its
already proposed Rs 1-lakh-crore investment plans in Jharkhand
and Orissa, according to company sources.
"Whichever company abides by our conditions (can come to
the state). Companies will come to Chhattisgarh due to the
opportunity it provides to them," Raman said, after meeting
Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal here today.
Last week, ArcelorMittal had approached Karnataka for
setting up a Rs 30,000-crore steel plant with an annual
capacity of six-million tonne in the state's iron ore-rich
Bellary region.
Sources said ArcelorMittal India Chief Executive Vijay
Bhatnagar will meet Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa
besides other ministers to take the proposal forward.
The company has been facing problems in acquiring land
besides regulatory hurdles for setting its 12-MTPA steel
plants involving Rs 1-lakh crore investment, one each in
Jharkhand and Orissa, and had said that options were open with it to shift the sites of these proposed plants. It had even
gone to the extent of threatening to quit Jharkhand and Orissa
on account of the inordinate delays.
But, later the company had clarified that the proposed
plant in Karnataka would be in addition to the Jharkhand and
Orissa projects.
Last month during a conference call when asked if he was
planning a project in Karnataka, ArcelorMittal Chairman and
CEO LN Mittal had said, "We are in India, so I am sure my
people must be discussing and talking with various options and
opportunities."
The steel major had proposed to set up a plant in
Keonjhar, Orissa, and at the tribal-dominated area between
Khunti and Gumla districts of Jharkhand.
ArcelorMittal needs about 10,000 acres in Jharkhand and
about 8,000 acres in Orissa to put up these plants.
While it has been allocated the Karampada mines in
Jharkhand with estimated reserves of 65 MT iron ore against
its needs of 600 MT to feed its 12-MTPA plant, in Orissa it is
still awaiting iron ore mining lease.
Besides, ArcelorMittal has entered into an agreement with
secondary steel producer Uttam Galva as a co-promoter.
Meanwhile, Raman Singh met Jaiswal today to draw a
roadmap to make Chhattisgarh an investment-friendly state.
"I met the minister today to draw a roadmap for next
10-20 years for making Chhattisgarh more investment-friendly.
We plan to set up a committee to discuss regulatory issues
with the Centre. The first meeting of the committee,
comprising officials from both the state and the Union coal
ministries, will take place next month," he said.
Singh further said his government will work towards
building a dedicated railway corridor in the state to
facilitate movement of coal to end-user companies in power,
steel and cement sectors. "This is likely to be done under a
public-private-partnership model," he added.
Coal Minister Jaiswal said, "We met and discussed issues
regarding expediting various regulatory clearances like
environment clearances for various projects in the state".
PTI
First Published: Thursday, November 26, 2009, 23:47