Odisha seeks extension of Tata Steel's Gopalpur SEZ.

The Odisha government will recommend to the development commissioner, Falta Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for extending the validity of Tata Steel's SEZ at Gopalpur by one year.

'We have got the nod of the chief minister's office regarding extension of Tata Steel's Gopalpur SEZ. Now, we will send our recommendation to extend the validity of the SEZ till June 17, 2015 to the development commissioner, Falta SEZ,' said a senior official of the state industries department.

Tata Steel is the anchor tenant for the industrial park being developed on 3,500 acres of land at Gopalpur.

The steel maker had lined up three projects there - a 50,000 tonne per annum ferroalloys plant, 4,00,000 tonne per annum steel rebar mill and 1.2 million gallons of water per day desalination plant.

Tata Steel would invest Rs. 1,000 crore on these projects which would initially create employment for 1,000 people.

While the ferroalloys plant will cost about Rs. 200 to 250 crore, the rebar mill will be set up at an investment of Rs. 750 to Rs. 800 crore.

For the rebar mill, Tata Steel would procure ingots from Jamshedpur by rail and road. Similarly, the company will source raw material for the ferroalloys plant from its chromite mines in Sukinda valley. It will be a backward integration project for the company's proposed six million tonne steel plant at Kalinganagar.

BS