Odisha CM Lays Foundation Stone for Rs 65,000-Crore JSW Steel Project; 32,000 Jobs Expected
He claimed that administrative bottlenecks delaying the project were removed after the new government took charge
Bhubaneswar: In a major boost to India’s eastern industrial corridor and the country’s steel manufacturing ambitions, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the Rs 65,000-crore JSW Utkal integrated steel project at Dhinkia in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district.
The mega project, being developed by JSW Steel, is expected to generate over 32,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities and significantly strengthen Odisha’s position as one of India’s leading steel-producing states.
Addressing a massive public gathering at the project site near Paradip, the Chief Minister said the industrial complex would transform the coastal belt into a major steel and manufacturing hub while catalysing the growth of ancillary and downstream industries across the region.
“Because of this project in Paradip, Odisha is going to become a steel hub,” Majhi said after laying the foundation stone. “Apart from the steel plant, there are plans for a cement factory with a production capacity of 12 million tonnes. The company will also establish a captive power plant and supporting infrastructure, including a jetty facility.”
The proposed integrated steel plant is slated to commence production by 2029 and is being seen as one of the largest industrial investments in eastern India in recent years. Officials said the project would create employment for both technical and non-technical youth and spur economic activity in sectors such as logistics, transportation, engineering services and small-scale manufacturing.
Highlighting the economic significance of the investment, the Chief Minister said the state government had been aggressively pursuing industrialisation since the BJP assumed office in Odisha in 2024. He claimed that administrative bottlenecks delaying the project were removed after the new government took charge.
“In 2017, JSW came to Odisha with the intention of setting up its plant, but the process remained very slow. After the BJP government came to power in 2024, we expedited the process and acted as a catalyst for industrialisation,” Majhi said.
The JSW project is expected to revive investor confidence in large-scale industrial ventures in Odisha, particularly in the mineral-rich coastal region that has long attracted global steel and infrastructure companies due to its proximity to ports and raw material reserves.
Industry observers believe the proposed corridor, combined with large investments in steel, cement, logistics and port infrastructure, could position Odisha as a strategic manufacturing gateway for eastern and southeastern Asia.
The foundation ceremony was attended by senior state ministers, industrialists, company officials and local representatives.
