Odisha CM asks Tatas to set up defence hub

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday proposed to the Tata Group to set up a Defence Manufacturing Cluster and Steel Downstream Cluster in Odisha.

Holding a meeting with Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekharan, Patnaik suggested that Tata Advanced Systems may consider developing the Defence Manufacturing Cluster on the 871 hectares of land at Cuttack's Naraj in possession of Tata power.

Expressing happiness over the expansion of Tata's Kalinga Nagar Plant, the Chief Minister proposed to the Tatas to consider developing a Steel Downstream Cluster at Kalinga Nagar with the provision of liquid metal.

Patnaik also put forth several other proposals including an E-Vehicle project by Tata Motors, a manufacturing unit by Tata Chemicals at Paradeep and requested more investments in the manufacturing sector at Tata SEZ and DTA at Gopalpur to generate employment.

The Chief Minister also proposed that Tata Industries participate in the World Skill Centre project as an industry partner to deliver world class skills to the state's youth.

He asked for an increase in campus placements in different government engineering colleges, ITIs and polytechnics.

He asked Chandrasekharan to fast track the setting up of a 500 bed super specialty hospital at Sitalapalli in Ganjam district.

The Chief Minister requested Chandrasekharan that Tata AIG expedite the payment of crop insurance claims to the farmers of the state.

Chandrasekharan thanked the Chief Minister for his focus on rapid industrialisation and employment generation.

He said Tata Sons would consider all the proposals of the Chief Minister and try its best to realise the proposed projects.

Patnaik suggested to Chandrasekharan that Tata Motors, along with other companies, should consider establishing workshops in some selected government ITIs.

Speaking on the state's Mission Shakti programme, the Chief Minister asked the Tatas to promote a micro-entrepreneurship development programme for women under Mission Shakti.

--IANS

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