The Hindu Business Line : Tata Steel plans plant at Orissa

TATA Steel has expressed its commitment to set up a six million-tonne integrated steel plant at Duburi in Jajpur district of Orissa with an investment of Rs 12,000 crore.

The company has also shown interest to invest in software development, tourism, and development of Dhamra port.

The details of the company's investment plans in the State were discussed when the Chairman of Tata Sons Ltd, Mr Ratan Tata, and the Managing Director of Tata Steel, Mr B. Muthuraman, met the Chief Minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik, in New Delhi on Friday.

According to an official release, Mr Muthuraman informed the Chief Minister that they had already done the project feasibility study and had applied to the Orissa Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation for 2,500 acres of land for the purpose. The project might require another 1,500 acres of land, he said.

Mr Tata said that they were equally keen on development of Dhamra port in Bhadrak district. The project was being actively pursued along with Larsen and Toubro and other partners. The project would involve an investment of around Rs 2,000 crore. He also informed the Chief Minister that TCS was exploring the possibility of setting up of a software development centre in Bhubaneswar.

The Chief Minister, who assured full support of his Government in facilitating the proposed investments, suggested that the company should also consider making investments in hotel and tourism sector in the special tourism area in Puri, according to the release.

Mr Tata, who evinced interest in Mr Patnaik's suggestion, said that the Tatas were ready to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the State Government clearly spelling out the investment plans they had for the State and the time frame within which the projects would be completed.

Mr Tata had met Mr Patnaik in Bhubaneswar in February this year and briefed about the company's investment plans, the release said.