Industry zone in Jajpur gets Centre's nod.

The Centre on Thursday accorded final approval to the State Government’s proposal to set up National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) at Kalinganagar in Jajpur district.

An emerging steel manufacturing hub, Kalinganagar will be developed as a mega industrial zone with an investment of about Rs 10,000 crore.

“The Ministry of Commerce and Industries has made an outlay of Rs 4,241 crore for the project,” Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said after a meeting with Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Thursday.

The first phase of the project will be completed by 2020 with an investment of Rs 3,816 crore. The project is expected to generate 1.50 lakh jobs, Pradhan said.

The project had received in-principle approval of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in August, 2015.

The manufacturing zone is expected to attract investment from varied sectors like mines, automotive, steel and downstream industries. It will be a combination of production units, public utilities, logistics, environmental protection mechanism, residential areas and administrative services.

The NIMZ will be a mega industrial zone having a world-class township to cater to the needs of investors.

“This announcement ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to the State on June 2 shows the commitment of the NDA Government at Centre for industrial development of eastern India in general and Odisha in particular,” Pradhan said.

This manufacturing hub will bring further improvement in road, railway and air connectivity to the State, he said and added that trade of Paradip port will increase significantly.

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS