Dubal-L&T to invest Rs 20,000 crore in Orissa

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Even as Vedanta was facing acute bauxite shortage for its 1 million tonne from annum (MTPA) refinery after the Centre rejected mining plan at Niyamgiri, a joint venture firm today urged Orissa government to expedite its Rs 20,000 crore proposals in aluminium and power sectors.

A delegation of Dubai-based Dubal Aluminium Company and L&T, led by Abdullah Kalban, met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here seeking state government's help to set up alumina refinery, smelter and a power plant in joint venture.

Though the joint venture company's proposal for setting up a 1.5 MTPA refinery, 4,40,000 million tonne smelter and 1,600 Mw thermal power plant had been accorded first phase approval in the state's Single Window Clearance Committee (SLWCC) in 2008, it was yet be taken up at the high level clearance authority for final approval.

"We are hopeful that the state government will soon take up our proposal for final clearance," said L&T's Chairman and Managing Director A M Naik after meeting the chief minister.

Claiming that the joint venture would not face raw material problem like Vedanta, Naik said they have already got prospecting license over two bauxite reserves in the state.

"It will not be a problem for us to arrange required bauxite to feed our proposed refinery," Naik said.

The joint venture was allotted Sijumali and Kutarmali bauxite reserves in Kalahandi-Rayagada districts, sources said adding Dubal-L&T had proposed to set up its refinery at Rayagada and smelter in Sambalpur district.