Progress on large projects in state satisfactory: Centre

'Steps have also been taken in the state to strike the balance between progress and environment protection', said Anil Swaroop additional secretary, Cabinet secretariat

Voicing its satisfaction on the pace of large projects in steel and manufacturing sectors, the project monitoring group of the Cabinet secretariat admitted that expeditious steps have been taken by the state government in their implementation.

“We are happy that the state government has taken expeditious steps for implementation of large projects in steel and manufacturing sectors. The progress of the projects has been satisfactory. Steps have also been taken to strike the balance between progress and environment protection,” said Anil Swaroop additional secretary, Cabinet secretariat.

Swaroop led a 10-member delegation that held deliberations with state chief secretary J K Mohapatra and other top officials of the state government. The progress of 20 large projects in sectors like steel, manufacturing, infrastructure, power, steel and coal mining were reviewed. These included projects of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL), Monnet Ispat & Energy Ltd, Aditya Aluminium Ltd as well as some key rail links like Paradeep-Haridaspur, Angul-Sukinda and Talcher-Bimlagarh.

On problems faced by steel projects, he said, “There are problems of land acquisition and lack of ore linkages. But the state government has proceeded substantially on land acquisition. If required, we will come again after a month to discuss the status of the large projects.”

Among the 22 projects jointly vetted by the central team and officials of the state, two projects of IOCL figured in the agenda.

IOCL’s 15 million tonne oil refinery at Paradeep, taken up at an investment of Rs 29,777 crore is nearing commissioning with 93.2 per cent of the work completed. The project’s residual work has been held up by deteriorating law and order situation in the Paradeep area.

Another IOCL project – Paradeep-Haldia-Durgapur LPG pipeline has been delayed due to non-receipt of no-objection certificate on forest diversion. Also, the oil marketing firm’s Paradeep-Raipur-Ranchi pipeline involving a cost of Rs 1,793 crore is battling delay in getting Stage-II forest clearance and law and order issues.

Among the rail projects, the Rs 1,000-crore Paradeep-Haridaspur rail project has been delayed since the application for Stage-I forest clearance is yet to be submitted to the Union ministry of environment & forests (MoEF). Similarly, Stage-I forest clearance is held up for the Talcher-Bimlagarh rail link.