Bhubaneswar: In a major boost to Read’s industrialisation, the state government Monday approved eight mega projects worth an investment of over Rs 1.51 lakh crore, which will create over 62,000 job opportunities, officials said.

The industrial projects were approved at the High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA) meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

The aluminium, chemicals, steel, textiles and ancillary and downstream metal sector projects are spread across six districts – Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Khurda and Sambalpur.

Chief Minister Majhi said that since June 12 last year, his government has held six HLCA meetings.

In these six meetings, a total of 62 projects have been approved with an investment opportunity of Rs 5.67 lakh crore that can potentially create about 2.42 lakh jobs.

“This progress is a clear step towards the national goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047 and the state’s vision of Samruddha Read by 2036. Read is moving confidently towards becoming a leading industrial and investment hub in India,” Majhi said.

Read as a state will complete 100 years in 2036.

In the aluminium sector, Vedanta Limited leads with an investment proposal of Rs 1,28,000 crore to establish a 3 MTPA Aluminium Smelter and 4900 MW Captive Power Plant (CPP) in Dhenkanal.

This single mega project is expected to create 30,000 jobs, an official statement said.

The chemicals sector also witnessed a substantial proposal by SRF Limited, which proposed to set up a specialty chemicals and refrigerant manufacturing unit with an annual capacity of 2 lakh MT in Ganjam, involving an investment of Rs 10,000 crore and generating 20,000 employment opportunities.

In the steel and metal downstream sector, Jindal India Steel Tech Limited will set up a 1.26 MTPA specialty steel processing facility in Dhenkanal, with an investment of Rs 3,600 crore, creating 2,000 jobs.

Shyam Steel Manufacturing Limited also proposed a 0.53 MTPA integrated steel plant, DI pipe unit, and 46 MW CPP in Keonjhar, at an investment of Rs 2,490 crore, employing 2,370 persons.

Besides, Linde India Limited will invest Rs 1,303.50 crore to establish an Air Separation Unit in Jajpur, offering high-quality industrial gases and employing 100 people.

Ancillary metal sector projects include Star Metal Works Private Limited which will invest Rs 2,291 crore in Sambalpur to set up a narrow hot strip mill, cold rolling, and plate cum Steckle mill, creating 250 jobs.

Meanwhile, Supreme Metals Export Private Limited also plans a 1.2 MTPA rolling mill for TMT bars and wire rods in Keonjhar, worth Rs 1,500 crore, generating 680 jobs, officials said.

In the textiles sector, Sportking India Limited will invest Rs 2,055 crore in Khurda to establish a cotton and blended yarn manufacturing unit with an annual capacity of 62,000 MT, creating 4,800 employment opportunities, the official said.