Rourkela: Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday assured that his govt would take up the expansion of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) and upgrade of Rourkela airport positively.RSP is currently a 4.5MTPA steel plant, which aims to become 9.5 MTPA by 2030. The Rourkela airport has single runway of 1,930 metres, which can’t handle large-body aircraft.Responding to queries from mediapersons, Majhi said Rourkela’s identity as both a steel city and a smart city makes the twin expansion projects crucial. “After our govt came to power, I held discussions with RSP authorities and officials of the steel department. Subsequently, the Union steel minister also visited Rourkela with his team and reviewed the matter. We further deliberated on this in Bhubaneswar,” he said.Majhi said a task force under the chairmanship of development commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh has been formed to fast-track the RSP expansion. “The task force, along with concerned officials, has already visited Rourkela thrice. Discussions are underway and the progress is positive. These issues remained unaddressed earlier but after our govt took charge, we have moved two steps ahead,” he said.Assuring speedy action, Majhi added, “With the support of the double-engine govt, I can say with confidence that the expansion of Rourkela Steel Plant and Rourkela airport will be carried out soon.”The chief minister also highlighted growing investor interest in western Odisha, particularly in the MSME sector. “A roadshow was organised in Rourkela, which saw participation of over 500 investors from Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Many of them have expressed willingness to undertake MSME projects. More MoUs will be signed in the coming days, followed by ground-breaking of several projects,” he said.Majhi said industrialisation will not remain confined to select regions. “Projects will come up in all 30 districts of the state. MoUs and ground-breaking activities will take place in 29 districts, a process that has started today. Discussions are also underway for the remaining district and projects will be taken up there as well,” he said.
