This company to build Rs 1000000000000 aluminum refinery project in…, not Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance, Adani Group, Tata Group; the company is…, its owned by…

During a meeting with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in October 2024, Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal had promised to set up an alumina refinery and an aluminium plant in the state with an investment of Rs 1 lakh crore.

Mining giant Vedanta will set up an aluminum refinery and smelter project in Rayagada district of Odisha at an investment of Rs 1 lakh crore, the company’s Chairman Anil Agarwal said Tuesday, adding that the first phase of the project is expected to be commissioned in the next three years, which will be expanded later.

Rayagada refinery to have 6 million tonne capacity

According to Agarwal, the proposed refinery will have a capacity of 6 million tonnes per annum, while the smelter will have a capacity of 30 lakh tonnes. “We will establish the aluminium refinery of 6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) capacity and aluminium smelter of 30 lakh tonne capacity in Rayagada district. The total investment will be around Rs 1 lakh crore,” the Vedanta Chairman revealed while speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ‘Utkarsh Odisha-Make in Odisha’ business conclave, according to news agency PTI.

Agarwal said the mining conglomerate has got Sijimali bauxite mine in Rayagada district, which is now being developed for exploration, adding that Vedanta group has already made significant investments in Odisha, amounting to more than Rs 1 lakh crore.

Vedanta invested Rs 1 lakh crore in Odisha

In October last year, Vedanta had announced plans to invest Rs 1 lakh crore in Odisha to build a 6 MTPA alumina refinery and a 3 MTPA green aluminium plant, however, the exact location of the project had not been revealed at the time.

During a meeting with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in October 2024, the Vedanta chairman had promised to set up an alumina refinery and an aluminium plant in the state with an investment of Rs 1 lakh crore.

Notably, Vedanta is operating a 1.8 MTPA smelter in Jharsuguda and a 3.5 MTPA alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, and has also established mines in Jajpur and Dhenkanal districts in Odisha for the mining of chrome ore.

Additionally, ESL Steel Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited, also operates two iron ore mines located in Sundargarh district.

Vedanta University in Odisha?

Asked about Vedanta’s proposed university in Odisha which is now in limbo following the Supreme Court’s order to cancel the land allotted for the project, he said, “Our students are moving to foreign countries like America and England for higher study and Indian teachers are teaching in those universities. I want to set up a university in Odisha with an investment of Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 crore.”

There is no scarcity of land in the state and its people are very lovable, Agarwal said, adding, “With the blessings of God, the university will definitely be established.”

“During last 30 years in Odisha, I saw that whenever some development work is being undertaken whether it is Niyamgiri mines or industry in Kalinganagar, some foreign forces have opposed those,” the industrialist claimed, without elaborating.

On April 12, 2023, the apex court upheld the Orissa High Court’s 2010 decision of quashing the proceedings initiated by the state government to acquire about 6,000 acres of land to establish a university.

Coming down heavily on the state government, the top court had said “undue favour” was given to Vedanta.

(With PTI inputs)