Odisha CM Confirms Land Acquisition for Keonjhar Steel Plant.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced recently that the land acquisition process for a major steel plant in the Keonjhar district will begin soon. The announcement comes after the company involved in the project deposited the required funds.

The plant is a joint venture between India’s JSW Group and South Korea’s POSCO. It is expected to have an initial production capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) with an estimated investment of over ₹40,000 crore. The state government has identified two land parcels for the project—one near Taramakant and another at Patna.

"Keonjhar will get a steel plant, and preparation for this has already started. The process has moved two steps forward," Majhi said while in the district to review government programs and development works. He noted that the new government has made the project a priority.

Keonjhar is a mineral-rich district with significant iron ore reserves, making it an ideal location for a steel plant. The new project is expected to boost local employment and economic activity in a region that currently lacks large-scale industries. This new venture comes after an earlier attempt by POSCO to build a plant in Jagatsinghpur was scrapped in 2017 due to delays and opposition.

Majhi's visit also included a review meeting with local officials and MLAs, where he called for coordinated efforts to implement development initiatives. He also flagged off three new ambulances and a coconut collection vehicle for the Maa Tarini Temple in Ghatagaon. The steel plant is one of several key industrial projects being pushed by the new state government, which recently took office after the assembly elections.