Archive for the 'DISTRICTS & BLOCKS' Category
Progress on Astaranga and Kirtania ports: Dharitri
Astaranga, Puri (Navayuga interested), Balasore, Choumukha-Kirtania, Balasore (Creative ports, Chennai interested), Dharitri (in Odia), Puri Comments Off on Progress on Astaranga and Kirtania ports: DharitriInfosys plans for a 500 crore investment in Bhubaneswar
Akshay Patra Foundation, Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, HEALTHCARE and HOSPITALS, Indian majors, Infosys, IT, Khordha, TOI, Economic Times 2 Comments »Following is an excerpt from a report in Economic Times.
IT major Infosys today said it would invest Rs 500 crore in Orissa for setting up an SEZ in IT and ITeS sectors and take care of children’s mid-day-meal scheme and healthcare services.
“We have proposed to set up an IT SEZ in Bhubaneswar. The project will require 50 acres of land”, T V Mohandas Pai, Director HR, ER and administration and member of board of Infosys, told reporters here.
… Pai who had been funding mid-day meal for 10,000 school children in Nayagarh district, also agreed to extend the programme to Gajapati and Kandhamal districts, official sources said. Besides, 30,000 children in Puri district were also getting midday meal in Puri district.
“We have been spending Rs 6.50 per child to provide quality food,” Pai said pointing out that Infosys had spent Rs 5.5 crore towards its corporate social responsibility.
Shetty, who had been providing health care service to BPO staff, urged Patnaik to allot five-seven acres of land in the city for setting up a 1,000-bed heart hospital.
As the city was gradually becoming a IT hub of Eastern India with almost all major players opening their development centres, employees required quality heath service, Shetty said.
“We have also requestedthe state government to help Shetty set up a heart hospital here”, Pai told reporters.
Tatas plan a rural BPO in Kalinganagar
Business Standard, IT, Back office, BPO, Jajpur, Jajpur Rd- Vyasanagar- Duburi- Kalinganagar, Tatas Comments Off on Tatas plan a rural BPO in KalinganagarFollowing is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.
The rural BPO centre will be established by the Tata Business Support Services (TBSS) — the BPO wing and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons — in partnership with Tata Steel Rural Development Society — a corporate NGO managed by the Tata Group for the last 60 years. To start with, it is expected to employ around 200 people.
Sources close to the development said the company has already recruited the first batch of the executives for the BPO unit, who are expected to undergo two months of training at TBSS’ headquarters in Hyderabad. TBSS has developed a specialised training programme in view the fact that most of the new recruits are not computer literate. It currently operates three rural BPO units that employ around 500 people in all.
A spokesperson from Hyderabad-headquartered TBSS confirmed the move. A senior official of the Tata group said the company was looking for graduates and under-graduates with some knowledge of English.
The centre aims at handling the Orissa region front-end and customer support works of group companies including Tata Teleservices and Tata Sky. The BPO unit will also provide services to other firms who have substantial operations in Orissa.
“Opening the BPO unit in Kalinganagar will provide us access to many educated but unemployed youths in semi-urban areas like Jajpur Road and Duburi which have a number of colleges and educational institutions in and around. The education level among the masses in these areas is comparatively high and the aspirations level of the local people is also very high,”said a Tata group executive in charge of human resources development.
“Although most youths in these areas are interested in higher-end and computer-related jobs, there were no opportunity in these places,” the executive added.
The group will initially run the BPO unit in the transit houses and rehabilitation set-up established by the company in Kalinganagar, before moving into a dedicated building in next few months. The centre will start as a voice-based BPO with focus on Bengali, Hindi and English languages other than Oriya.
Puri-Bhubaneswar-Konark-Chilika among the 20 select tourist sites
Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Chilika, Khordha, Konark, Puri, Sites in and around Bhubaneswar Comments Off on Puri-Bhubaneswar-Konark-Chilika among the 20 select tourist sitesFollowing is an excerpt from an IANS report in thaiindian.com.
India is developing 20 places, including Agra – home to the Taj Mahal – as short-halt destinations to attract more foreign tourists, the tourism ministry said here Tuesday. The 20 sites were selected on the basis of the number of national and international travellers visiting the place. Being a world heritage site was also a factor in the selection, the ministry statement said.
The tourism ministry will provide financial assistance of up to Rs.250 million for development of a mega destination and of Rs.500 million for a mega circuit.
“The ministry’s objective is to ensure that with enhanced investments and an integrated approach, the mega destinations will be developed to maximize their potential,†the tourism ministry’s statement said.
“The resulting increase in tourist inflows, in turn, will lead to economic development and employment generation in and around these places,†the statement added.
The sites are Agra – revitalization of the Taj (Uttar Pradesh), Varanasi-Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh), Bodhgaya-Rajgir-Nalanda (Bihar), illumination of monuments of Delhi (Delhi), Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu), Puri-Bhubaneswar-Konark-Chilka (Orissa), Haridwar-Rishikesh (Uttarakhand), Hampi (Karnataka), Gangtok (Sikkim), Ajmer-Pushkar (Rajasthan) and Kurukshetra (Haryana).
Other sites include Charminar area of Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), Jagdalpur-Tirathgarh-Chitrakoot-Barsoo (Chhattisgarh), Dwarka (Gujarat), Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Churches of Goa, Ganga Heritage River Cruise Circuit (West Bengal), Vidarbha Circuit (Maharashtra), Aurangabad (Maharashtra) and Amritsar (Punjab).
IDCO and Raheja sign MOU for an Mindspace type IT park
Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, IDCO projects, IT, IT, Back office, BPO, Khordha Comments Off on IDCO and Raheja sign MOU for an Mindspace type IT parkFollowing is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.
The Orissa government today entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the K Raheja Corporation for setting up a IT park in Bhubaneswar with ‘Mindspace‘ branding. …
The proposed IT park will be implemented through a joint venture company to be formed between the state owned Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) and K Raheja group. It is expected to be completed in about 3 years and an estimated Rs 250 crore will be invested in the first phase.
Three possible locations at Infocity-I, Infocity-II and Mancheswar Industrial Estate have been identified but the final location will be decided in consultation with the Raheja group.
Proposed to be built over 30 acres of land, the IT park is expected to generate employment opportunities for more than 12,000 persons in next 3-4 years. K Raheja group , which is engaged in the business of infrastructure development, has the experience of developing similar IT parks in places like Hyderabad and Mumbai. …
the park will be developed in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode. It will have about 10 lakh square feet of space to be used by different IT and ITeS companies coming to Orissa. As this project is highly employment intensive, it will be beneficial for the state.
Stating that about 3-4 lakh jobs are likely to be created in the IT and ITeS sector of the state, the minister said, the government is trying to achieve Rs 5000 crore software export target set by chief minister Naveen Patnaik well before 2012.
Ravi C Raheja said, that every ‘Mindspace’ IT park developed by the company is green certified.Citing the example of the IT park developed by the group in Hyderabad, Raheja said, the state government expected to generate about 15,000 jobs in 10 years.Within 4 years of starting the park about 50,000 jobs have already been created.The company is targeting to increase it to 1 lakh there. Bhubaneswar IT park will also generate vast employment opportunity for the people.
Aman resorts scouting for land to set up a resort in Orissa
Hotels and resorts, Puri Comments Off on Aman resorts scouting for land to set up a resort in OrissaFollowing is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.
Aman Resorts, the internationally acclaimed chain of luxury hotels has decided to invest in Orissa.
A team of this Singapore-headquartered hotel chain today visited three possible locations between Pipili and Konark for setting up a resort in the state.
It visited locations like Khelar (near Pipili), Sarada (near Nimapada), Beruhan (near Konark). However, the exact location has not been finalised.
… Adrian Zecha, chairman of the group accompanied by the leading architect Karan Grover met the Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Tourism Minister Devi Prasad Misra.
They have sought about 45-50 acres in the rural sorroundings nearing Konark for their proposed resort project. …
Sources said, the group is looking for the rural hinterland having natural ambience. Positioned as a high ended hotel in the 7 star category, it is expected to attract high spending tourist to the state from foreign countries.
Aditya Birla group confronted for lack of progress in Kashipur
Aluminium, Birlas, Rayagada Comments Off on Aditya Birla group confronted for lack of progress in KashipurSee details at http://tathya.in/story.asp?sno=1866. Following is an excerpt.
The meeting with the Chief Minister of Orissa on Thursday turned sour, when his company Utkal Alumina International Limited (UAIL) was blamed for the delay.
A senior mandarin in charge of a crucial regulatory department charged Mr.Birla of creating hurdle for him self.
“I take strong exception to it”, retorted Mr.Kumar Mmangalam.
But the no nonsense officer was clearly in no mood to relent.
He said that "the fact is fact and some body should call spade a spade".
The senior mandarin charged UAIL of turning pro-industry people as anti-industry in the area.
He said after 2004, UAIL take over by A V Birla Group, it has only erected a boundary wall and now asking for moon without doing any thing.
A V Birla Group is asking for more bauxite mines and coal linkage for their group.
… UAIL’s Managing Director Debu Bhattacharya was seen fuming over the allegations hurled against them in front of the Chief Minister.
But they were undone and agreed to go for value addition by setting up a smelter plant to use the alumina.
Aditya Birla group’s plan for Orissa
Aluminium, Bauxite, Birlas, Business Standard, Cement, Chudamani, Bhadrakh (Birlas interested), Ports and waterways, Rayagada, Rayagada- Therubali, Rourkela- Kansbahal, Sambalpur, Sambaplur- Burla- Bargarh- Chipilima, Sundergarh, Thermal 47 Comments »Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.
Aditya Birla Group, one of the largest business houses of the country having interests in sectors like aluminium, telecom, cement, textiles, fertiliser, mining, retail, finance and insurance plans to invest about Rs 75,000 – 80,000 crore in Orissa.
The proposed amount will be invested in sectors like aluminium,cement, telecom and retail sectors in the state over next few years.
… Birla, who was here to discuss some project related issues with the Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, the company also intends to launch its retail business in Orissa as part of its national roll out plan. It will be launched within the next 6 months.
… Stating that the projects are proceeding well, he said, the company is committed to a lot of social work like setting up ITIs and health centres at the project sites.
… Regarding the resistance of the local people to the alumina refinery project Utkal Alumina at Raygada, the group chairman said, a lot of projects are facing the same problem. The company has sought the state government’s intervention in resolving the issue.
He said, ABG took over the company four years ago from Alcan Inc and the company has complied with the rehabilitation and resettlemnet (R& R) package given to it. He, however, was non-commital about any additional package for the project affected people.
" We can not commit on the new package. As long as there is reasonable settlement we will be happy", he pointed out.
Regarding the possibility of investing in the port sector of the state, Birla said, the company is persuing the matter with the Orissa government and is expecting a positive outcome.
It may be noted, Essel Mining, a group company of the ABG had earlier proposed the state government to set up a port at Chudamani. However, the state government had not accepted its proposal.
The major projects of the group in Orissa include Utkal Alumina refinery at Raygada, Hindalco’s alumina smelter and power plant at Sambalpur and 3.5 million tonne per annum cement plant in Sundergarh district.
Vedanta’s steel plan for Orissa
Keonjhar, Steel, Vedanta Comments Off on Vedanta’s steel plan for OrissaFollowing is from a report in SteelGuru.com.
It is reported that Vedanta has started land acquisition for its first ever steel venture at Keonjhar in Orissa. It also hopes to start its third aluminum smelter in India by the end of June 2008. Once in place, the group’s smelter capacity would go up to almost 1 million tonne.
Vedanta has already floated an outfit called Sterlite Iron & Steel Company for undertaking the INR 12,500 crore project in Orissa and has identified 3,000 acres for the proposed 5.1 million tonne venture.
Official sources said that "This project will be like a forward integration for the group in Orissa as Sesa Goa has iron ore mines in the state which could be utilized for the project. The preliminary planning is on for an integrated environment management program and production requirements."
The source added that "Vedanta is investing INR 8,400 crore in phases in this project. The smelter will have a capacity of 50,000 tonne per year In the first phase, 25,000 tonne and a portion of 1215 MW captive power plant will be operational. The total employment in the project will be around 6,000 people."
VGF funding scheme may come in handy for some PPP projects in Orissa
Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Business Standard, Integrated Sewerage, Khordha, PPP, Puri, REAL ESTATE, Roads, highways and Bus stands, Shamuka Beach project, VGF Comments Off on VGF funding scheme may come in handy for some PPP projects in OrissaFollowing is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.
The Planning Commission today suggested the Orissa government to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for three projects for availing of assistance under the viability gap funding (VGF) of the Centre.
These three projects are Rs 3200 crore Samuka Special Tourism Project, Rs 1500 crore Sambalpur-Rourkela road project and the Rs 1500 crore worth Bhubaneswar Solid Waste Management Project.These projects worth about Rs 6200 crore will be implemented on a pilot basis.
"A new format has been developed for availing of the assistance from VGF and the Orissa government will have to prepare a DPR keeping in view the new format and submit it to the Planning Commission", Subash Pani, secretary, Planning Commission said.
After reviewing the projects taken up in the Public-Private-Partnership ( PPP) mode by the Orissa government, Pani told media persons that the Centre can provide upto 20 percent of the project cost under the VGF. So the state government can take advantage of it.
He said, the Centre introduced the VGF last fiscal and no state has availed of the assistance from this fund created with the objective of bridging the gap in funding viable projects taken up in PPP mode.
Pani said, the Orissa government plans to execute 35 important infrastructure projects in PPP mode. While 25 projects are in the pipeline, 10 projects are on going.
The on-going projects include Rs 68 crore Palasapanga- Bamberi road, Gopalpur port, Dhamra Port, Rs 480 crore international convention centre, Rs 146 crore IT and Corporate Tower (Bhubaneswar), Rs 500 crore Info Park(Bhubaneswar), Rs 35.67 crore Knowledge park, Rs 352 crore SEZ-BPO at Mancheswar, Rs 76 crore Commercial and IT Complex at Rourkela.
IDCO’s proposed international convention center in Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Convention Center, IDCO, Khordha Comments Off on IDCO’s proposed international convention center in BhubaneswarMore details at http://www.idcoindia.com/idco/rpfbbsr.asp.
Following is copied from there:
2. Download RFP |
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A state-of-the-art International Convention Centre (ICC) is being developed at Bhubaneswar with a view to give major thrust to the Meeting, Incentives, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) segment of tourism in Orissa. Orissa Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) has been designated as the Implementing Agency for ICC project. IL&FS Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (IL&FS IDC) is providing project development advisory services. Project Features
The Project will come-up on 20.504 acres of prime land near Rasulgarh area. The land is already with IDCO. |
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Note : |
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1. IN CONSIDERATION OF THE REQUESTS MADE BY THE BIDDERS, THE LAST DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF RFP HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 15.30 HRS. (IST) ON MAY 15, 2008. |
IL&FS meets Orissa government on Inchudi port: Sambada
Balasore, Inchudi, Balasore (many interested) Comments Off on IL&FS meets Orissa government on Inchudi port: SambadaFollowing is a news item in Sambada about IL & FS meeting Orissa government on Inchudi port in Balasore.
The art and craft of Sambalpuri Sarees and their designs: Samaja
Arts n crafts, Bargarh, Handicrafts, Rural artisan villages, Sambalpur, Sambalpuri Sarees Comments Off on The art and craft of Sambalpuri Sarees and their designs: SamajaHarishankar waterfalls in Balangir: Samaja
Balangir, Nature spots, Waterfalls Comments Off on Harishankar waterfalls in Balangir: SamajaTata Power’s tall claims about its proposed unit in Naraj, Cuttack (near Bhubaneswar)
Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Coal, Cuttack, ENVIRONMENT, Sambada (in Odia), Tatas, Thermal 4 Comments »Following is an excerpt from a report in sify.com. (This report is reasonable; the tall claims about making Naraj like Jamshedpur is reported in Sambada, which is given at the end of the excerpt.)
Optimistic about completion of land acquisition for its 1,000 MW power plant near Cuttack in five months, Tata Power has allayed fears that it may cause air, water and noise pollution and said the thermal unit would adopt latest environmental safety technology.
"We expect the whole process of land acquisition for the Naraj Marthapur coal-based power project to be completed by October, this year," Project Director (eastern region) of Tata Power, Praveer Sinha said.
Maintaining that the company was for fair and just compensation for land, structures and trees, Sinha, who visited the proposed plant site with other company officials, said price for land would be settled through ‘direct win-win negotiations with sellers’.
Rates offered would be higher than benchmark rates fixed by Orissa government, Sinha and other company officials pointed out, adding most advanced technologies would be used in the Rs 5,000-crore project to minimise plant emission.
… Ruling out any adverse impact on the air quality of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar due to the plant, he said water spraying would be undertaken in coal yard area to suppress the dust, while high efficiency electrostatic precipitator would be installed for removal of fly as from the flue gas.
"All these measures would keep emission of ash and coal dust to well below the statutory norms," a senior official at Tata Power’s Jamshedpur plant said, adding flue gas would be released through 275 metre tall stack, three times taller than Qutub Minar.
Explaining the steps to check water pollution, Sinha said fly ash generated from the plant would be stored within the plant premises and it would not be dumped into Mahanadi river or Puri canal.
Fly ash, said another senior executive, would be directly utilised by the cement industry, brick manufacturing, road and pavement construction, fertilisers and for bund preparation in farms. "Therefore, the quality of water in Puri canal or Mahanadi river or Puri canal will not be affected and will not impact marine life at all," he said.
Similarly, he said waste water generated from the plant would be reused within the plant and discharge, if any, was likely to take place only during rainy season when excess water is available.
"Such water will be discharged only after treatment of effluents and its quality will comply with the applicable effluents standards," he said.
Sinha said steps would be taken to ensure that no pollutant material is discharged into the river. Ash would not pollute ground water due to impervious lining of the ash pond into which the ash would be disposed.
Ruling out noise pollution due to the power unit, company officials also made it clear that the machinery and equipment would meet all the national standards of noise limits.
Further, thick green belt would be developed around the project site to minimise the impacts of noise created by transport of coal by railways. Around two lakh trees would be planted in the green belt to absorb dust and noise.
Supreme court puts stringent condition for mining lease to Sterlite/Vedanta: People benefit
Bauxite, ENVIRONMENT, Kalahandi, Vedanta Comments Off on Supreme court puts stringent condition for mining lease to Sterlite/Vedanta: People benefitFollowing is an excerpt from a report in sify.com.
An environment regulatory committee set up by the Supreme Court has recommended a stringent mechanism for granting mining lease to Sterlite Industries, the parent company of the London-based Vedanta Alumina Ltd, to mine bauxite from the eco-sensitive Niyamgiri hill area for its proposed Rs 4,000 crore aluminium project in Orissa.
As against the plea by the Sterlite India, the Central Empowered Committee suggested that the majority 51% share in the special purpose vehicle — ‘Lanjigarh Scheduled Area Development Foundation’ — should be with the Orissa government and 24.5% each should be with the Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) and Sterlite.
The Sterlite had suggested that its own share should be 49%, while the Orissa government and OMC should hold 26% and 25%, respectively.
A bench of chief justice K G Balakrishnan, justices Arijit Pasayat and H S Kapadia directed Sterlite and the Orissa government to file affidavits on the formation and constitution of the special purpose vehicle.
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Sterlite has sought direction from the court to accord clearance of the forest diversion proposal submitted by Orissa Mining Corporation for diversion of 660.749 hectare of forest land to undertake bauxite mining on Niyamgiri Hills in Lanjigarh for its Rs 4,500 crore Alumina plant in Orissa.Sterlite has agreed to give 5% of the annual profits before tax and interest from the Lanjigarh project, consisting of bauxite mining and alumina refinery, or Rs 10 crore per year, whichever is higher, to the Foundation every year from April 1, 2007.
Sterlite also said it would make a payment of the net present value (NPV) of Rs 55 crore and Rs 50.3 crore towards wildlife management plan for conservation and management of wildlife around the Lanjigarh mine and Rs 12.2 crore towards development for the tribal people.
The committee said there has to be a balance between conservation and development. “The balance between these two would thus lie in permitting conservation not merely for private profit but in a manner that maximises the public interest component in the activity,’’ it said. …
500 crore International Convention Center in Bhubaneswar to be built in PPP mode
Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Convention Center, IDCO projects, INVESTMENTS and INVESTMENT PLANS, Khordha, PPP, TOURISM, ENTERTAINMENT and SHOPPING 6 Comments »Following is an excerpt from a report in expresshospitality.com.
Orissa Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) has planned to set up an international convention centre through a public-private partnership model. BK Patel, head (SEZ & Infrastructure Projects) at IDCO, said, "The convention centre will be spread over 25 acres in tie-up with private developers. We have started inviting tenders for the project and expect to reach a decision to begin the project in the coming months."
The convention centre is to be built at a whopping Rs 500 crore and expected to be completed in the next three years.
POSCO agrees to contribute towards Paradeep-Haridaspur doubling: Sambada
Haridaspur - Paradeep (under constr.), Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kalinganagar- Chandikhol- Paradip, Kendrapada, Paradip - Jatadhari - Kujanga, POSCO Comments Off on POSCO agrees to contribute towards Paradeep-Haridaspur doubling: SambadaPOSCO mentions downstream anciliary units
Jagatsinghpur, Paradip - Jatadhari - Kujanga, POSCO, Steel ancilaries Comments Off on POSCO mentions downstream anciliary unitsFollowing is an excerpt from a report in Pragativadi.
… the new Director of Posco-India, Yong Keun Kim, is however, optimistic about his plans for downstream industries.
… His recent meeting with IPICOL managing director, Ashok K Meena, has unfolded the road map of Posco on downstream and ancillary industries.
Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, he said that Posco’s greenfield project near Paradip would create enormous opportunities for developing ancillary and downstream units close to the steel plant.
Some of the units that are likely to come up, include automobiles, shipbuilding, fishing vessel, heavy fabrication and downstream heat and coil processing, reveals the document.
There is a vast scope of indirect employment opportunity once the ancillary industries are set up in the area, the document says.
Posco has requested the state government for a piece of land near Paradip to set up the facilities.
A detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared by the company, in which investors from South Korea would join for setting up downstream and ancillary projects.
NALCO’s plan for Jharsuguda
Aluminium, Business Standard, Jharsugurha, Jharsugurha- Brajarajnagar- Belpahar, NALCO Comments Off on NALCO’s plan for JharsugudaFollowing is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.
National Aluminium Company (Nalco) is exploring the possibility of setting up a greenfield aluminium smelter and captive power plant near Jharsuguda, western Orissa at an investment of more than Rs 14,000 crore.
The capacity of the proposed smelter is pegged at 5 lakh tonnes per annum with a captive generation facility of 1,250 mw. The alumina required for the project is likely to be sourced from Nalco’s existing refinery at Damanjodi.
Engineer’s India (EIL), which has been appointed the consultant, has found the project technically feasible.
Jharsuguda is being chosen as the possible site for the plant as it is in the vicinity of the IB valley coal reserves. While the company has the required technology, land acquisition is expected to be trouble-free as most part of the identified patch is government land and barren.
… "Yes, we have plans to set up a smelter and captive power plant in Jharsuguda to add about 9 lakh tonne alumina capacity which is exported annually now. The project’s fate does not hinge on the availability of water," B L Bagra, director (finance), Nalco, told Business Standard.
Meanwhile, the state-owned Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Orissa (Ipicol) has forwarded the company’s application for water from IB river to the water resources department.