CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurates Kumar Mangalam Birla’s Odisha alumina refinery expansion project
The Rs 1,500-Cr project creates additional employment for 500 people
By Nalini Sahu
Bhubaneswar, Sept. 17: Odisha chief minister Shri Naveen Patnaik on Thursday inaugurated the expansion of the existing Alumina refinery of Utkal Alumina located at Kashipur, Rayagada.
Situated at the tribal hinterland of Odisha, the expansion unit by the Aditya Birla group is built with an investment of Rs 1,500 crore. The expansion improves the refinery’s annual capacity by 0.5 MT to 2 MT alumina production.
The expansion of the project has created additional employment for more than 500 people through direct and contractual roles.
Reportedly, Aditya Birla group employs more than 12,000 people in Odisha, which accounts for more than 10 per cent of its global workforce.
Addressing the gathering, the CM said, “I am particularly happy that investors in Odisha are expanding their existing projects in Odisha even after the impact of COVID-19. This shows that our economy is bouncing back from the impacts of the pandemic and we are back on the path of sustained growth and development.”
Joining the programme through virtual mode, chairman of Aditya Birla Group, Kumar Mangalam Birla, said that Odisha has emerged as the top-most investment destination for the Aditya Birla Group. He praised the vision of CM Naveen Patnaik in the all-round development of Odisha and appreciated the role of Odisha Government in the success of Indian Hockey at Olympics.
Mr Birla also expressed his happiness on his role as a proud partner in the development story of the state.
The programme was moderated by Secretary to CM (5-T) Shri V.K. Pandian.
The dignitaries present in the virtual ceremony were, state industry minister Dibya Shankar Mishra, scheduled caste and scheduled tribe welfare minister Jagannath Saraka, senior officials of the state government and Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of Aditya Birla Group and Satish Pai, managing direct Hindalco.
