The LN Mittal Group has expressed its interest in setting up a greenfield steel plant in Jharkhand. The integrated steel plant with capacity 5 million tpa will entail initial investment of around Rs.5,000 crore.

A four-member team representing the Mittals held preliminary discussions with the Jharkhand government on 6 May 2005. The site of the plant has yet to be identified. The project would require 8 million tonnes of iron ore per year. Assuming a plant life of 25 years, iron ore requirements would be 200 million tonnes.

It may be mentioned here that prime iron ore mines in areas like Gua, Meghahataburu, Kiriburu and Noamundi have already been leased out in favour of SAIL, Tata Steel and IISCO. However, there are iron ore reserves in areas like Saranda that can be offered to the Mittals.

The Manoharpur area (near Chakradharpur) located on the banks of River Koel is amongst the prospective sites for the plant.

Also See:

Jindal trifurcates mega steel project (27-Apr-05)