First titanium company of the country at Gopalpur(Berhampur), Odisha will start trial run from May 01

Titanium producing project of Saraf Group of Industries coming up in Ganjam district of Odisha is expected to start its trial run from May this year.

Meanwhile, those who lost their land to the proposed project deferred their agitation on Tuesday afternoon following a meeting with the company authorities and administration. The Land Losers’ Welfare Association was planning to hold a dharna at the plant site near Chatrapur since Monday. The demands include increased stipend to youths who are being provided technical training by the company from Rs.5,500 to Rs.15,000 per month, said association president P. Dharma Rao.

They also want the company to ensure appointment of all the 210 youths from land loser families being trained by the company and declaration of salary package it would provide after appointment.

On Tuesday afternoon, the association representatives held a meeting with the company authorities and administrative officials including the Ganjam ADM.

Speaking to The Hindu , project senior manager Bhagirathi Hota said no conclusive decision could be taken as the project director was not present. According to him, after confirming date of his arrival, next date for discussion would be decided.

According to the company authorities, this first titanium unit of the country is expected to start its trial run from May 1 this year. For this project 200 acres of private land and 34 acres of government land had been acquired. Since beginning, the project has faced hiccups including backing out of Russian companies that had initially become partners. But Saraf Group of Industries, the Indian promoter, decided to take up the project on its own.

Around Rs.2,200 crore is to be invested in this project in a phased manner. In the first phase, Rs.1,200 crore is being invested. The project had been proposed in 2005. In 2007, the then Russian Premier Viktor Zubkov had also shown interest in the project during the visit of Indian PM Manmohan Singh to Russia. Saraf Group had signed two MoUs with two Russian state-run companies for the proposed titanium project. Later the Russian companies had backed out. But Saraf Group had entered into an MoU with the Odisha government in 2008 to take up the project on its own.

-BERHAMPUR, February 17, 2016

Courtesy: The Hindu 

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