Hindalco to set up aluminimum smelter in MP

Bhopal, May 23: Aditya Birla group's Hindalco today signed an MoU with the state government for setting up a Rs 7,700 crore greenfield, 3.25 lakh tonne aluminimum smelter along with a 750 megawatt captive power plant and a captive coal mine in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh.

Hindalco MD D Bhattacharya and Commerce and Industry department Principal Secretary O P Rawat signed the MoU in the presence of state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan here.

The project located at Bargaon village would provide direct employment to 4,000 and indirect employment to 12,000 people, The first phase entailing investment of Rs 7,700 crore would be completed in four years, while there would be another investment of Rs 10,300 crore in the second phase, Mr Bhattacharya told reporters.

The Chief Minister has expressed satisfaction over the new project and assured the government's full cooperation. Keeping in view investment proposals for Rs 84,000 crore, the state's infrastructure was being upgraded and developed.

Bhopal and Indore airports were being upgraded to international standard, he added.

Welcoming fresh investments, Mr Chouhan said the government was committed to take the state to the developed category from its present 'Bimaru' status clubbed along with other backward states of Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Mr Chouhan said the state's industrial policy was being modified to attract more investments. All clearances to Hindalco will be provided within a fortnight, he added.

UNI