The Orissa government has signed an MoU with Shiva Cement Limited for capacity expansion of its cement plant and split grinding unit involving an investment of Rs 800 crore.

Shiva Cement which had a cement plant at Kutra in Sundargarh district planned to expand its capacity from 0.132 mtpa to one mtpa and increase capacity of the split grinding unit near Jajpur from one mtpa to 2.6 mtpa.

The MoU was signed between Mr T Ramachandru, Principal Secretary (Industries), Orissa government and Mr Bimal Kumar Mangaraj, Director, Shiva Cement in the presence of Minister for Industries and Steel & Mines, Mr Raghunath Mohanty yesterday.

Stating that state has a potential of producing 30 mtpa cement, Mr Mohanty said that there were three cement plants operational in the state.

Though the state has created a capacity of 12 mtpa in the cement sector, the actual production is in the range of 5—6 mtpa, the minister said.

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