Chandrapur, March 14 (UNI) union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy today announced that an integrated green steel plant and a coal gasification project will be established at Bhadravati in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district with a total investment of around Rs 17,000 crore.
The projects were launched after the minister laid the foundation stones during a programme held at the MIDC area of Telwasa in Bhadravati.
Reddy said the initiatives are expected to create employment for over 10,000 people and significantly strengthen the economy of the Vidarbha region.
He noted that the projects will enable production of high-value products such as ammonia nitrate, green steel and hydrogen, many of which are currently imported in large quantities.
Stating that the initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India self-reliant, the union minister said coal continues to play a key role in the country’s industrial growth.
Reddy also informed that out of seven such projects planned across the country, four are being developed in this region.
Speaking on the occasion, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Vidarbha is rich in mineral resources and the new projects aim to harness these resources in an environmentally responsible manner.
He said climate change remains a major global concern affecting both industries and agriculture and efforts are being made to utilise mineral resources with minimal environmental impact by adopting advanced technologies.
Fadnavis further said that the projects are also expected to boost tourism in the region and further accelerate economic development.
Highlighting other development initiatives in Vidarbha, he said a steel hub is being developed across the districts of Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Nagpur, Bhandara and Gondia.
He further said the region has already attracted investments worth nearly Rs 3 lakh crore, which are likely to generate employment for around one lakh people.
The Chief Minister directed officials to ensure that 70 to 80 per cent of jobs in these projects are given to local youth.
He added that Maharashtra’s economy is among the largest globally and is bigger than that of several countries.
