With Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan leading a high-level Japanese delegation to strengthen the steel sector in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday proposed an exclusive Japan Industrial Cluster near the Capital City for which the State Government will provide all facilitation. The issue cropped up during CM’s meeting with the high-level delegation including Japanese Ambassador to India Satoshi Suzuki at Lok Seba Bhavan here to discuss development of steel cluster and the prospects of Japanese investment in steel and downstream industries in Odisha.The Chief Minister requested the Ambassador to consider Japan to be the partner country for the Make-In-Odisha Conclave-2020. Naveen said, Odisha now is the highest producer of steel in India and its strong base of steel making provides huge opportunity for ancillary and downstream industry. Stating that the Odisha Government is now focusing on achieving at least 50 per cent value addition to the sector by 2030, he proposed Japanese investment in automobiles, food processing, chemicals and petro chemical sectors.The Union Minister who has taken lead to bring Japanese technology support to the State said, after Arcellor Mittal’s takeover of Essar Steel, Nippon steel and JFE-JFW have associated with this project. Two steel giants of Japan - Nippon and JFE - will invest in Odisha in a big way. The target is to make Japan an associate in ‘Purvodaya’ which aims to drive accelerated development of Eastern India through establishment of integrated steel hubs for which Odisha has the best potential, Pradhan added.Japanese investments and technology flow into Odisha will strengthen steel sector, generate large scale employment and create win-win situation for all stakeholders. “Kalinganagar will be developed as the epicentre of Mission Purvodaya. Working together with the Odisha Government, Central Ministries and industry, we aim to make Kalinganagar a vibrant hotspot of global steel industry,” he tweeted after the meeting.
Source : https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha