Odisha clears Rs. 41,900-cr worth investments.

The High Level Clearance Authority (HLCA), the highest body to approve investment proposals, recently approved seven projects with investments totaling to Rs. 41,900 crore . The projects that got the HLCA's nod include a mix of new as well as existing projects that proposed to ramp up their capacities. Among the projects cleared was an FDI (foreign direct investment) proposal by Japan based J Green Power Ltd. The proponent has proposed to set up 423 Mw gas based power plant at Dhamra at a cost of Rs 3,106 crore. The project is tipped to generate direct employment for 90 people. "The gas based power plant by J Green would make use of combined cycle gas turbine technology. It would need only 36 acres of land. The gas would be drawn from the upcoming LNG terminal at Dhamra", industries minister Debi Prasad Mishra said after the HLCA meeting. Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd (CIL), has decided to foray into power generation through 1,600 Mw (2x800) pit-head power plant. The plant would be put up by Mahanadi Basin Power Ltd, a fully owned MCL subsidiary at an investment of Rs 8,000 crore. The power project that got HLCA's nod, is coming up at a site close to MCL's Basundhara coal mines in Sundargarh district. The HLCA approved the change in site for Tata Power's 1,320 Mw coal based plant from Naraj-Marthapur to Begunia in Khurda district. The establishment of the plant would cost Rs 7,500 crore and create direct employment for 400 people. "The change in location for Tata Power's project was approved since the previous site selected was an eco-sensitive zone situated close to the Chandaka-Dampada wildlife sanctuary", Mishra said. Similarly, Kolkata-based CESC Ltd's plan for 1320 Mw coal-fired plant based on super critical technology, also got the go-ahead of HLCA. CESC is investing Rs 6861 crore on this project to come up at Neulapoi in Dhenkanal district. The power plant is set to generate direct employment opportunity for over 400 people. Among the expansion projects, the HLCA cleared proposals by Aditya Birla Group owned Utkal Alumina Ltd and Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd (BPSL). Utkal Alumina has proposed to ramp up its alumina refinery capacity at Rayagada in south Odisha from one million tonne per annum (mtpa) to 1.5 mtpa and that of its captive power plant (CPP) from 50 Mw to 90 Mw. The total cost of the refinery is estimated at Rs 7,563 crore. BPSL has proposed to expand steel making capacity from 2.8 mtpa to 5.6 mtpa at its plant near Rengali in Sambalpur district. The expansion would cost Rs 4,837 crore. Ardent Steel has also proposed to raise pellet making capacity at its Phuljhar unit in Keonjhar district, to 1.8 mtpa from 0.6 mtpa. It would also set up an iron ore beneficiation plant with three mtpa capacity, DRI plant of 0.6 mtpa and CPP of 125 Mw at a cost of Rs 4031 crore. Together, these projects would create employment for 1,560 people.