Dubal-L&T to invest Rs 20,000 crore in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Jan 31 (PTI) Even as Vedanta was facingacute bauxite shortage for its one mtpa refinery after theCentre rejected mining plan at Niyamgiri, a joint venture firmtoday urged Orissa government to expedite its Rs 20,000 croreproposals in aluminium and power sectors.

A delegation of Dubai based Dubal Aluminium CompanyLimited and L&T, led by Abdullah Kalban, met Chief MinisterNaveen Patnaik here seeking state government''s help to set upalumina refinery, smelter and a power plant in joint venture.

Though the joint venture company''s proposal forsetting up a 1.5 mtpa refinery, 4,40,000 mt capacity smelterand 1600 MW thermal power plant had been accorded first phaseapproval in the state''s Single Window Clearance Committee(SLWCC) in 2008, it was yet be taken up at the high levelclearance authority for final approval.

"We are hopeful that the state government will soontake up our proposal for final clearance," said L&T''schairman-cum-managing director A M Naik after meeting thechief minister.

Claiming that the joint venture would not face rawmaterial problem like Vedanta, Naik said they have already gotprospecting license over two bauxite reserves in the state.

"It will not be a problem for us to arrange requiredbauxite to feed our proposed refinery," Naik said.

The joint venture was allotted Sijumali and Kutarmalibauxite reserves in Kalahandi-Rayagada districts, sources saidadding Dubal-L&T had proposed to set up its refinery atRayagada and smelter in Sambalpur district.