Odisha plans to set up steel directorate

The Odisha government plans to set up a separate steel directorate to look after the problems faced by the investors.
"The steel directorate will be set up on the lines of the existing mines directorate. It will address problems faced by steel industry," state Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick told reporters here.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has already approved a proposal made by the Steel and Mines department.
The department proposed it after realising that most of the steel industries were facing difficulties in land acquisition and raw material availability, Mallick said.
The government's action in this regard came after ArcelorMittal withdrew its project from the state and Posco put its Odisha project on hold.

The proposed steel directorate would be headed by an officer of the rank of Additional Secretary, the Minister said, adding that the new body would be entitled to appoint a Steel Consultant from the corporate sector.

The state government has signed MoUs with 48 investors in steel sector envisaging a combined capacity of 83 million tonnes with investments totalling to over Rs 2 lakh crore.
So far the steel units have grounded investments of the order of Rs 1.2 lakh crore.
Recently, a delegation of Indian Steel Association, led by its chairman Naveen Jindal, met the Chief Minister and apprised him about the problems hitting the steel industry in Odisha.