Dikhyaa Mohanty 
During the 32nd High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA) meeting, Odisha, a state renowned for its unrelenting dedication to industrial growth, celebrated yet another major milestone. Odisha was ranked third among the states drawing the most bank-assisted investments in the Reserve Bank of India’s recently released report, ahead of industrial states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu but behind Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.
According to an official press release, the state government, under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, approved 9 important industrial projects with a cumulative investment of INR 1, 01,804.43 Crore in order to further strengthen its position as the major Industrial Hub in Eastern India and the fulcrum of trade and commerce in the Bay of Bengal region. These initiatives are expected to generate job opportunities for 28,565 people across various sectors.
The wide range of projects demonstrates Odisha’s commitment to bringing investment plans to fruition and turning them into genuine economic gains. In the state’s districts of Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Khordha, Paradeep, Bhadrak, Ganjam, and Koraput, these projects would be strategically placed.
In the steel industry, the HLCA granted JSW Utkal Steel Limited’s request for expansion to increase the capacity of its intended Integrated Steel Plant from 12 MTPA to 24 MTPA. With a $75,000,000,000 investment, this program is anticipated to create 12,000 new jobs.
In addition, Jindal Ferrous Limited’s plan to build a 2.35 MTPA Carbon steel factory in Kalinga Nagar, Jaipur, with an investment of INR 3,449 Crores and the potential to employ 1,396 people, gained approval.
