GMR yet to give permanent jobs to land losers of Odisha project

GMR Energy had signed an MoU with the Odisha govt for setting up a 1400 Mw

GMR Kamalanga Energy Ltd that expects to commission the first unit (350 Mw) of its 1400 Mw coal-fired power plant in Odisha, by end of December this year, is yet to give permanent employment to land losers of the project.

“Permanent employment has not been given to the land losers by GMR Energy till date. The company's power plant at Kamalanga in Dhenkanal district is under construction and not yet started production. Land losers are being engaged through its agencies. GMR Kamalanga Energy has awarded construction of power plant to SEPCO-China. Eighty (80) persons from China are engaged at the project site through SEPCO”, Odisha industries minister Niranjan Pujari informed in a written reply n the state assembly.

The minister responded to a query from Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Nabin Nanda's question where he sought clarification on allegations that GMR Energy is not giving due weightage to the local candidates among the land losers to give permanent employment. The affected villagers had also pointed out that the company is offering petty jobs through the contractor.

Government records show GMR Energy has employed 6634 people in all for its Odisha projects which includes 5099 locals and 1535 from outside the state. The company is also setting up a skilled manpower institute. It claimed to have incurred an expenditure of Rs 38.8 crore on CSR (corporate social responsibility) activities.

GMR Energy had signed an MoU (memorandum of understanding) with the Odisha government for setting up a 1400 Mw (4x350) coal-based plant in June 2006. It has been allocated Rampia and dip side of Rampia coal blocks jointly with five other allocates. The company has achieved financial closure and has also signed power purchase agreement (PPA) with Grid Corporation of Odisha (Gridco) for providing 25 per cent power to the state grid.

While the first 350 Mw unit of GMR's 1400 Mw power plant is scheduled to go on stream by December 2012, the second, third and fourth units of equal capacity are expected to be commissioned by March 2013, February 2013 and December 2013 respectively.