" Jajpur becomes another Jamshedpur in Orissa "

Committed to its Kalinga Nagar project despite a bloodbath in 2006 when 13 persons died in police firing during land acquisation, Tata Steel today vowed to make Orissa's Jajpur "another Jamshedpur".

"We will make Jajpur district another Jamshedpur. Kalinga Nagar project is on the top of our priorities," Tata Steel's vice-president B K Singh told PTI after attending the review meeting on progress of implementation of mega projects in Orissa.

Dubbing the 2006 police firing incident as "unfortunate", Singh said the company was ready to help the families of the victims.

"We should forget the incident and heal the situation," he said.

Asked whether the company would like to make any change in the proposed site in the backdrop of the incident, Singh said the company had no such plan. "Rahter Tata Steel wants to make Jajpur as another Jamshedpur," he said.

Singh claimed that the company had already invested Rs 4,000 crore out of estimated project cost Rs 18,700 crore in the project and expected to go for first phase production in 2014.

Tata Steel which signed MoU with the state government for setting up a 6 MTPA steel mill required 3500 acre of land for the purpose.

Though the state owned IDCO (industrial development corporation of Orissa) had allotted 3040 acre of land in four phases, the company was yet to start construction due to law and order problem.

The proposed plant had also been allotted 74 cusec of water from the Baitarani river and permitted to avil power of 100 Mw at 220 kv from Duburi Grid substation.

The company had meanwhile set up rehabilitation colonies and sponscored local youths for vocational training, Singh informed the state government at the review meeting.

However, the company was asked several questions on its project at Nayagarh in Keonjhar district and Gopalpur in Ganjam district.

The company, which was developing an SEZ in the name of Tata Realty and Infrastructure Development, assured the state government that it would start activities at Gopalpur in next six months.

"Some companies will invest in steel, electric goods, auto-spare and other goods in its Gopalpur SEZ," Singh said, adding that it was taking steps for Keonjhar project.